History Main / TheInformant

Informants fear prison, since they probably become a PariahPrisoner, fearing molestation or lethal violence. Compare BakerStreetRegular for a more sympathetic version of the trope.

* In ''Series/{{Informer}}'', the whole series is this, and it's naturally PlayedForDrama.

* Alexei, a Russian taxi driver in Moscow, in ''Series/{{JAG}}'' a LovableRogue that works for "the highest bidder", but develops a crush on Mac.
* Merl from ''Series/{{Angel}}''.

* In the Franchise/MarvelUniverse, Turk, a petty street criminal, often has this role in several different titles. Many of the heroes (notably {{Comicbook/Daredevil}}, Comicbook/ThePunisher and Comicbook/SpiderMan) seem to use "I need information; I think I'll go beat on Turk until he sqeals" as a standard operating procedure, although this has varied DependingOnTheWriter.

A subtrope of KnowledgeBroker. MysteriousInformant is a SisterTrope to, and TheStoolPigeon is a SubTrope of, The Informant. This trope may be averted entirely if a particular crime boss or criminal empire is [[TheMobBossIsScarier considered too scary to inform on]].

* ''Series/HomicideLifeOnTheStreet'': Kellerman has an informant, Zithead Mazursky, who's an arsonist who provides him with tips on whatever arson he's investigating. He cuts ties with him after transferring to Homicide, and therefore no longer having any use for him.

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** Later, Jay gives a boy who found Julie’s phone some money and permission to god his (unloaded) gun while asking a few questions.

** Bubbles was a frequent informant to the police, and on very friendly terms with the officer he worked for. Kima in particular even helped him when he was trying to quit heroin.

* Several one-off characters in ''Series/TheSweeney'', whose portrayals ranged from "contemptible but necessary" to actually fairly sympathetic. Of course, one of the show's central themes was that the cops and the cons were NotSoDifferent.

* ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise''. While battling time agents in [=WW2=] New York, Captain Archer is put in contact with a man who sells information to them. However the informer frankly admits that [[RealityEnsues he makes most of the stuff up]].

* In ''Film/TheFriendsOfEddieCoyle'', Eddie (Creator/RobertMitchum) is what can only be termed an aspiring informant. [[spoiler:[[DownerEnding It doesn't go so well]].]]

* Ribs in ''FanFic/TheTaintedGrimoire'' makes a living as a streetear. He is on good terms with the protagonists.

* In ''Fanfic/ForTheGloryOfIrk'', Zeke -- an Irken ConspiracyTheorist who self-publishes magazines about his views -- eventually reveals that he has a high-level source in the Empire's government who feeds him information for his articles. This turns out to be [[spoiler: Vero, the door guard and potential-Tallest]], who transitions to being more of a ReverseMole for the heroes after TheConspiracy by [[spoiler: [[AIIsACrapshoot the Control Brains]]]] is discovered.

* Ribs in FanFic/TheTaintedGrimoire makes a living as a streetear. He is on good terms with the protagonists.

** Johnno claims that local drug dealer Wayne is his informant after Jay arrested him and later events (Wayne seen being dragged into a car roughly by several other gang members) imply this is true.[[/folder]]

** In ''Literature/NightWatch'', Nobby Nobbs started out as one of these, and eventually became a real member of the Watch. Though not a particularly good one.

* Trader Johann from ''WesternAnimation/DragonsRidersOfBerk'' could often be counted on to provide information if you meet his price. Or just threaten him with trade sanctions.

* ''Series/PoliceSquad''.
** Detective Drebin visits Johnny the shoeshine boy when he needs information. He asks him "What's the word on the street about (whatever he's investigating)?" and Johnny will always say something like "How should I know?" Then Drebin will hand over some cash, and Johnny will immediately supply him with just the information he is looking for, no matter how unlikely it is that a shoeshine boy would know about it. They later expanded the joke by having celebrity guest stars go to Johnny after Drebin leaves and ask him questions about esoteric knowledge in their specialties, which Johnny can always answer, for a fee, of course. For instance, a surgeon asks him how to do a rare surgical procedure, Dr. Joyce Brothers asks him about the Peter Pan Effect, and Dick Clark asks him to explain ska music, and then purchases a magical youth preserving face cream from him.

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* In ''Literature/TheFriendsOfEddieCoyle'', Eddie (Creator/RobertMitchum) is what can only be termed an aspiring informant. [[spoiler:[[DownerEnding It doesn't go so well]].]]