Tony Ortega

Tony Ortega
Tony Ortega
Birthplace	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Journalist, author, editor
Known for	Coverage of the Church of Scientology
Education	California State University, Fullerton (BA, MA)
Website	[[tonyortega.org tonyortega.org] Official site]

Anthony "Tony" Ortega is an American journalist, author, and editor known primarily for his extensive coverage of the Church of Scientology. Over a career spanning several decades in American journalism, Ortega has held editorial positions at several prominent publications, including the Phoenix New Times, New Times LA, the Broward-Palm Beach New Times, and The Village Voice, where he served as editor-in-chief from 2007 to 2012. Following his departure from The Village Voice, he served as executive editor of Raw Story from 2013 to 2015. He founded The Underground Bunker, a blog dedicated to reporting on Scientology and related topics, which has become one of the most prominent independent sources of journalism on the organization. In 2015, he published The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology Tried to Destroy Paulette Cooper, a non-fiction book about the Church of Scientology's campaign against journalist Paulette Cooper.

Early Life

Tony Ortega was born in Los Angeles, California. Details about his early childhood and family background are not extensively documented in public sources. He grew up in the greater Los Angeles area and went on to pursue higher education in Southern California.

Education

Ortega attended California State University, Fullerton, where he earned both a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Arts degree. The university later recognized him as a notable alumnus for his contributions to journalism.

Career

Early Journalism Career

Ortega began his journalism career in the alternative newsweekly circuit, a sector of American media known for its investigative reporting and willingness to take on controversial subjects. He worked at the Phoenix New Times, one of the flagship publications of the New Times Media chain, where he developed his skills as a reporter and began building a reputation for in-depth journalism. His work at the Phoenix New Times included feature writing and investigative pieces that demonstrated the kind of tenacious reporting that would later characterize his Scientology coverage.

From the Phoenix New Times, Ortega moved to New Times LA, the chain's Los Angeles edition, where he continued his work as a journalist. The New Times Media chain, which operated alternative newsweeklies in several major American cities, provided Ortega with experience working across different urban media markets and covering a wide range of subjects.

Broward-Palm Beach New Times

In 2005, Ortega was appointed editor-in-chief of the Broward-Palm Beach New Times, the South Florida edition of the New Times chain. He held this position until 2007. During his tenure at the publication, he oversaw the editorial direction of the newsweekly, which covered news, culture, and investigative stories in the Broward County and Palm Beach County areas of Florida. The South Florida region, home to a significant Scientology presence due to its proximity to the Church's Flag Land Base in Clearwater, provided Ortega with further opportunities to observe and report on the organization's activities.

The Village Voice

In 2007, Ortega was named editor-in-chief of The Village Voice, one of the most storied alternative newsweeklies in the United States. Founded in 1955, The Village Voice had a long tradition of independent journalism and cultural criticism, and the editorship represented a significant position in American media. Ortega held the role for five years, from 2007 to 2012.

During his time at The Village Voice, Ortega oversaw a wide range of editorial content, from cultural coverage to investigative reporting. One notable piece during his editorship was a 2008 investigation into the literary legacy of John Steinbeck, which explored claims regarding the famed author's works and attracted attention from major media outlets including the Los Angeles Times.

It was at The Village Voice that Ortega's coverage of Scientology became particularly prominent. He used the newspaper's platform to publish a series of detailed investigations and reports about the Church of Scientology's practices, leadership, and treatment of members and critics. His Scientology coverage at the Voice was recognized by The Daily Beast, which included his work among its selections of notable long-form reporting on the organization.

Ortega departed The Village Voice in 2012 to focus on writing a book about Scientology.

Raw Story and TheLipTV

In October 2013, Ortega joined Raw Story, a progressive online news and opinion publication, as its executive editor. In this role, he oversaw the editorial operations of the website, which covers politics, current events, and media. He served in this capacity until 2015.

In 2015, Ortega also served as executive editor of TheLipTV, a YouTube-based news channel that produced video content on a range of current events and cultural topics. He appeared on the channel to discuss topics including Scientology and media issues.

The Underground Bunker

Following his departure from The Village Voice, Ortega launched The Underground Bunker, an independent blog focused primarily on reporting about the Church of Scientology. The blog quickly established itself as one of the most closely followed sources of news and analysis about Scientology, publishing daily reports on the organization's activities, legal proceedings, real estate transactions, internal policies, and the experiences of current and former members.

The Underground Bunker publishes content on a near-daily basis and covers a wide range of Scientology-related topics. Ortega's reporting has addressed subjects including the Church's leadership under David Miscavige, its expansion efforts in various countries, its interactions with public figures and celebrities, and its organizational practices. The blog has also covered Scientology's expansion activities internationally, including reporting on the organization's efforts in the United Kingdom and Puerto Rico.

The blog has also covered the intersection of Scientology and politics, including reporting on connections between Scientology figures and political personalities. In one notable instance, Ortega's reporting contributed to the exposure of a Scientology-connected individual running for local political office in California, which was featured on Raw Story.

Over time, The Underground Bunker has expanded to include coverage of topics beyond Scientology, including broader political and current events commentary, though Scientology reporting remains its central focus. The blog has transitioned in part to the Substack platform for distribution of its feature content.

The Unbreakable Miss Lovely

In 2015, Ortega published his first book, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology Tried to Destroy Paulette Cooper. The book tells the story of Paulette Cooper, a journalist and author who wrote The Scandal of Scientology in 1971 and subsequently became the target of an extensive harassment campaign by the Church of Scientology. The campaign, which was part of the Church's broader program known as "Operation Freakout," sought to discredit, silence, and destroy Cooper professionally and personally.

Kirkus Reviews reviewed the book, noting its detailed account of the Church's operations against Cooper. The book was published in the United Kingdom by Silvertail Books.

Ortega conducted book events and speaking engagements to promote The Unbreakable Miss Lovely, including an appearance in Denver, Colorado, where he discussed Scientology's campaign against its critics. He also gave a talk at Arizona State University in downtown Phoenix, where he discussed Scientology and the changing landscape of media.

Scientology Coverage and the Documentary Going Clear

Ortega's long-running coverage of Scientology placed him within a broader journalistic and cultural movement examining the organization in the 2010s and 2020s. In 2015, HBO released the documentary film Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, directed by Alex Gibney and based on Lawrence Wright's book of the same name. The film, which examined the Church of Scientology's practices and history, drew significant public attention to the subject matter that Ortega had been covering for years.

Ortega's work has been situated alongside that of other journalists and authors who have written about Scientology, including Lawrence Wright, Janet Reitman, and the former Scientologist Leah Remini, whose A&E documentary series Scientology and the Aftermath also brought widespread attention to the subject. The Daily Beast included Ortega's Village Voice reporting in its compilation of the best long-form writing about Scientology.

Personal Life

Ortega resides in the United States. He maintains an active online presence through The Underground Bunker blog, where he publishes daily content. Details of his personal life beyond his professional activities are not extensively documented in public sources.

Recognition

Ortega has received recognition from his alma mater, California State University, Fullerton, which featured him as a notable alumnus for his contributions to journalism. His coverage of Scientology has been recognized within the journalism community, with The Daily Beast highlighting his Village Voice reporting as among the best long-form reads on the subject of Scientology.

His book The Unbreakable Miss Lovely received a review from Kirkus Reviews and was published internationally, with a UK edition released through Silvertail Books. The book's subject matter and Ortega's broader reporting have led to speaking invitations at academic institutions, including Arizona State University, and at bookstores and cultural venues across the United States.

Ortega has been profiled by Mediabistro, which interviewed him about his career and approach to journalism. His work has also been cited and referenced by major publications including the Los Angeles Times, The Guardian, The Daily Beast, and the International Business Times.

Legacy

Tony Ortega occupies a notable position in the landscape of American journalism focused on the Church of Scientology. Through his work at The Village Voice and subsequently through The Underground Bunker, he has produced one of the most sustained and detailed bodies of reporting on the organization. His daily blog, which has operated continuously since his departure from The Village Voice in 2012, represents one of the longest-running independent journalistic projects focused on a single organization.

His book The Unbreakable Miss Lovely contributed to the historical record of Scientology's treatment of its critics, documenting in detail the Church's campaign against Paulette Cooper, a case that has become central to public understanding of Scientology's approach to perceived enemies. The book's publication coincided with a broader period of increased public scrutiny of Scientology in the mid-2010s, which included the release of the documentary Going Clear and the television series Scientology and the Aftermath.

Ortega's career trajectory—from alternative newsweeklies to independent blogging—also reflects broader changes in the American media landscape, particularly the shift from print journalism to digital platforms. His transition from the editorship of The Village Voice to the creation of an independent blog mirrored the experiences of many journalists who moved from traditional media institutions to self-published platforms during the 2010s. His subsequent adoption of the Substack platform for content distribution further illustrates this ongoing evolution in how journalism is produced and consumed.

Through his reporting and public speaking, Ortega has contributed to public discourse about religious organizations, press freedom, and the role of investigative journalism in holding institutions accountable. His work at Arizona State University and other speaking engagements has also addressed the changing nature of media in the digital age.