Dozens Of Journalists Killed For Their Work In 08

[struggle4progress]

Thursday, 8 January 2009, 2:23 pm
Press Release: IFEX
Dozens Of Journalists Killed For Their Work In 2008

... According to its annual analysis, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) recorded 41 journalists killed in direct connection to their work in 2008 - a drop from 65 in 2007. "While that's lower than the unprecedented numbers we saw over the last few years, by historical standards it's still very high," says CPJ. The lower death toll was due mainly to a sharp drop in deaths in Iraq, from 32 in 2007 to 11 last year, due to improved security conditions there, says CPJ. CPJ is still investigating further cases.

The 2008 death toll reflected a shift in global hot spots, as high numbers of deaths were reported in restive areas of Asia and the Caucasus, says CPJ. Watch CPJ's video tribute to the journalists who died in 2008: http://tinyurl.com/7ouzyw then read the report: http://tinyurl.com/9v6kvf ...

The World Association of Newspapers (WAN) records 68 journalists and other media workers killed last year. "Attacks on journalists throughout the world - by organised crime groups in Latin America, autocratic regimes in the Middle East, repressive governments in Africa and by combatants in war zones - pose serious threats to press freedom," said WAN in its report, with region-by-region details. See: http://www.wan-press.org/article17943.html

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), which compiles figures in cooperation with the International News Safety Institute (INSI), counts 109 journalists and media workers killed last year in 36 countries. IFJ includes all journalists killed because of their work as well as those killed in accident while on assignment or on their way to or from a story. According to IFJ, India's death toll also figured high on the list with 10 casualties, following a surge of attacks in insurgent-hit states in the country. See IFJ: http://tinyurl.com/8juw3k and INSI: http://tinyurl.com/8suo9d ...

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0901/S00139.htm

[truedelphi]

1. RIP< Ye Bringers of Truth. To work at such peril

With such dedication makes me wonder what we have done to our media here.

Not many here die for the sake of getting the latest on Paris or Britney. And journalism majors in the States go off to be Corporate Spokespeople, as they can better pay off the student loans by spinning the "Truth" about pesticides for Monsanto, and the "Truth" about the need for day old infants receiving Hep B vaccinations.