In this Cyberpunk RED Free Basic Rules, only five Roles are available. For the full selection of 10 Roles, including Execs, Fixers, and Nomads, check out the Cyberpunk RED Core Book!

"Used to work for Night City Today, can you believe it? Fetching coffee and toting camera gear like a goddamned pack mule! First shot I got at a scoop? Some fluff piece on a Corp PR stunt giving away kibble to people who needed real food... I didn't become a reporter to smile for a camera and joke around with a weatherman strung out on synthcoke. That's why I quit. Now I'm in the action: the sharp end. I run my own shop, hunt down the leads, and bring people the news they really care about! If you wanna know what's really going on in the City, hit Never Blink News."

24/7, Reporter for Never Blink News

They're bending the truth out there. And you're going to stop them. Someone has to do it. The Corporations used to rule the world. They dumped toxics, destabilized economies, and committed murder with equal impunity. The government back then couldn't even stop them—hell, they owned the government. But then the War came.

The War stripped away the facade and let us all know exactly what had been going on under our noses. And the people who made sure we all knew the score were the Medias. That's you. You've got a vidlink and a press pass, and you're not afraid to use them. You're a city-wide figure, seen nightly all over the Data Pool in the Time of the Red. It's not like the old days, when you had a major Mediacorp behind you; this time, you've gotta depend on your fans, your contacts, and your own reputation. But it's harder for these new Corps to make you disappear. So when you dig down for the dirt and slime the corrupt officials and Corporate lapdogs try to cover up, you can dig deep. The next morning, you can put the details of their crimes all over the screamsheets and vidscreens. Three or four times, the bad guys have tried to kill you—that's why your backup's a crack Solo bodyguard and you've got one of the top ‘Runners in the business digging through NET Architectures to back your stories. You have to be good, or else.

Your ‘Runner's just phoned in with a hot lead. You grab your gear and flag your backup. You're going to break those bastards. This time, for sure.

Role Ability: Credibility

The Media's Role Ability is Credibility. The Media can not only convince an audience of the truth of what they publish but also has a larger audience the more credible they are. Medias also have greater levels of access to sources and information; they are always in the know with their ears to the ground to pick up on Rumors and information passively.

• Credibility (Media Role Ability)