Action takes reporters down (9)
I believe the answer is:
depressed
'down' is the definition.
(I know that down can be written as depressed)
'action takes reporters' is the wordplay.
'action' becomes 'deed' (deed is a kind of action).
'takes' indicates putting letters inside.
'reporters' becomes 'press' (journalists, members of the press).
'deed' placed around 'press' is 'DEPRESSED'.
(Other definitions for depressed that I've seen before include "Downhearted" , "Having been pushed down" , "dispirited" , "Unhappy, despondent" , "Flattened downward" .)