I agree (except, having also had personal experience of this situation, I think journalists do overplay the personal danger bit). The cause is exactly what you

I agree (except, having also had personal experience of this situation, I think journalists do overplay the personal danger bit). The cause is exactly what you say: the incentives are all wrong for accurate investigative journalism, which is what we need to keep the powerful uncorrupted. Unfortunately this is because the internet destroyed the business model for news, and there's no putting that genie back in the bottle. We need a new business model for investigative journalism, and while plenty of people are trying (including Substack in the article, who seem to be doing OK), none have really cracked it.