jenkins began his career in 1971 as a reporter for bna covering the u.s. justice department and courts. he demonstrated an investigative streak from the start, breaking stories about corporate scandals that led to investigations by the securities and exchange commission and the watergate special prosecutor. in the summer of 1974, he scooped the world by revealing the justice department's intention to break apart the giant at&t telephone monopoly. his story ran four months before the lawsuit was filed. he was named managing editor of bna's flagship dailies at the age of 28. two years later, he led bna's entry into digital publishing, creating the electronic product line that now comprises almost the entirety of bloomberg bna's $350 million annual revenue.