For taking great risks in pursuit of greater truths, for the imperfect but essential quest for facts, for speaking up and for speaking out, the Guardians — Jamal Khashoggi, the Capital Gazette, Maria Ressa, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo — are TIME's Person of the Year.

As Empire continues to break TV records, much of the media attention has turned to the hit series’ youngest cast members, Trai Byers (Andre), Bryshere Gray (Hakeem), and most notably Jussie Smollett, who plays budding gay R&B star Jamal Lyon.