The Associated Press reported that deaths among journalists killed in the line of duty are lower this year, but a journalism advocacy group said one reason appears to be that media workers are refraining from going to the most dangerous areas.
The International Federation of Journalists said that 49 journalists have been killed so far this year, down from 95 deaths last year. The group said if journalists are showing more caution, that in turn means the public is less informed about some of the most deadly conflicts and human rights abuses.
Another reason cited for the lower number of deaths is decreased fighting in Iraq and Syria.
The Shop Talk panelists pointed out journalists also face other dangers, such as imprisonment in some countries. And in the United States, journalists continue to come under verbal attack from a president whose comments sometimes seem to encourage violence against reporters.
Shop Talk is a weekly panel discussion about journalism issues. This week’s program featured Will Buss, who teaches in the Department of Broadcasting and Journalism at Western Illinois University and advises the student editors at the Western Courier, the students at student radio station The Dog, and the WIU chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists; Rajvee Subramanian, who teaches in the Department of Broadcasting and Journalism at Western Illinois University; and TSPR News Director Rich Egger.
