Journalists are in the front-line of two battlegrounds this year - safety in journalism and social justice at work.
The struggle for safety has been brought into sharp focus as the worldwide war on terrorism gathers pace and reporters are being targeted in regional conflicts. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is calling for industry-wide action to counter the rising toll of media staff killed in the exercise of their work.
The IFJ's 2001 report details the killing of 103 journalists and media workers in 38 countries - the highest for six years. Many of the victims died in war zones, others, like Daniel Pearl in Pakistan, Martin O'Hagan in Ireland, and Mario Coelho in Brazil were singled out by brutal assassins. The recent violence in the Middle East with its unprecedented level of targeting of journalists reflects a worrying trend in regional conflicts.
It is time for media companies to work together on new initiatives to reduce the risks facing their staff. More training, better equipment and the provision of insurance for all, including freelance journalists, are urgently needed. An industry-wide initiative is needed to give all journalists - including those working for small media and freelance - access to risk-awareness training.
The struggle for safety has been brought into sharp focus as the worldwide war on terrorism gathers pace and reporters are being targeted in regional conflicts. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is calling for industry-wide action to counter the rising toll of media staff killed in the exercise of their work.
The IFJ's 2001 report details the killing of 103 journalists and media workers in 38 countries - the highest for six years. Many of the victims died in war zones, others, like Daniel Pearl in Pakistan, Martin O'Hagan in Ireland, and Mario Coelho in Brazil were singled out by brutal assassins. The recent violence in the Middle East with its unprecedented level of targeting of journalists reflects a worrying trend in regional conflicts.
It is time for media companies to work together on new initiatives to reduce the risks facing their staff. More training, better equipment and the provision of insurance for all, including freelance journalists, are urgently needed. An industry-wide initiative is needed to give all journalists - including those working for small media and freelance - access to risk-awareness training.