According to The Hollywood Reporter, HBO has signed a deal with The New Yorker magazine contributor Ronan Farrow. He will develop investigative documentaries on the heels of his journalistic pieces surrounding Harvey Weinstein.
Farrow famously documented numerous accounts of Weinstein’s exploits for the magazine where he will remain as a contributor. Casey Bloys, programming editor at HBO, made the announcement this week during a Television Critics Press tour in Pasadena. “Ronan Farrow’s extraordinary, revelatory reporting for The New Yorker has helped to propel a string of other investigations, breakthroughs and overdue conversations,” said Bloys. “His work has contributed to this watershed moment in our culture, and we are excited to provide a platform for this dogged reporter to pursue projects that continue to speak truth to power.”
Ronan was previously the host of a short-lived series on MSNBC in 2015 and was more recently featured on the Today show doing investigative stories. His research into Weinstein began at NBC but was ultimately stifled by the network who allowed him to his content elsewhere. It was these investigative writing chops which elevated his status in the reporting community with his initial Weinstein piece debuting in the magazine back in October.
According to an interview with The Hollywood Report, Farrow noted the Weinstein exposés “illustrated for all of us in the media how much pent-up demand there is for tough investigative reporting that speaks truth to power. And if I can do one thing that’s of use to this world, I think it will be more stories that tackle the establishment and expose the abuse of power in this country”.
Farrow’s projects with HBO will commence later in 2018. In the meantime, he will be a releasing a book in April, War on Peace: The End of Diplomacy and Decline of American Influence.