Media group says 109 media workers killed in 2008

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Feb 4, 6:48 AM EST
Media group says 109 media workers killed in 2008
By CONSTANT BRAND
Associated Press Writer

BRUSSELS (AP) -- At least 109 reporters and media workers were killed either intentionally or accidentally last year while on assignment, the International Federation of Journalists said Wednesday.

n its annual report on press freedom around the world, the group said covering stories in hot spots remained a "perilous" task for journalists, camera operators, producers and photographers.

The media group urged governments to "step up" efforts to stop the killing of journalists.

The IFJ reported 175 deaths of media workers in 2007.

"The welcome relief brought about by the decline in the killings of journalists in 2008 has been short lived," said Aidan White, general secretary of the IFJ. "Ten colleagues died in January (2009) alone."

Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/J/JOURNALISTS_KILLED?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2009-02-04-06-48-46

[SpiralHawk]

1. scratch

eom

[tomreedtoon]

2. Not enough have died, at least in America.

I'm referring to the "ambush journalists" employed by local TV stations to prove that they "care" about the consumer. They go after suspects on the street, microphone raised, and say "Why did you cheat that little old lady on her car repair?" or "Why did you rape the dogs you were kenneling?" or other unanswerable questions like that.

I once saw video of one such character at the door of a house, demanding to speak to a man inside who had supposedly sold some defective siding. The door opened, and a bucket of water hit the reporter in the face. At least he CLAIMED it was water.

I look forward to the day when one of these guys gets several quick bullet points, 9 millimeter size, up close and personal, and it's all captured by the cameraman in HIS last moments of life. It will set a precedent, and perhaps make news organizations realize that acting like jerks may be a flawed procedure.