Jon Swift is a reporter.
We are told early on that he is "from the old stock of journos - cynical, cantankerous and overweight", which is true. He comes about his old school attitude the long way - by being old himself. Not as old as the geriatric media mogul who owns the organization for whom Swift works but getting closer it seems every day, being in his mid 60s when we meet him.
Swift is definitely not a young pup looking for a great story to be his ticket up. He has had a few of those already in his time but now he recognizes, grudgingly, that those days are behind him. Nevertheless he still loves a good mystery and the chance to tell the facts regardless of the consequences.