» SubscribeMain section
-
Top story
IFJ mourns latest media death in Afghanistan
DATELINE: 11/1/10
The International Federation of Journalists said the death of a British journalist in Afghanistan, who was travelling with United States marines when he was caught in an explosion, was further evidence of the high risks involved in "embedding" journalists with soldiers. He was the second reporter to die travelling with the military in recent weeks. Rupert Hamer, the defence correspondent of the Sunday Mirror, died of his wounds at the scene of the blast north-west of Nawa in Helmand Province His colleague, photographer Philip Coburn, was critically injured in the blast. Two soldiers were also killed.
"We are shocked by this incident and send our sincere condolences to the friends, family and colleagues of Rupert Hamer," said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. "His death shows that Afghanistan remains one of the world?s most dangerous reporting assignments. Travelling with the army does not lessen the risk to reporters. Indeed, as this tragedy shows, it can put journalists directly in the firing line."
The two journalists were accompanying a patrol by the marines when their vehicle was caught in a bomb blast. Hamer was a distinguished journalist and a veteran of conflict reporting who had served in Iraq and was on his fifth trip to Afghanistan. He was married with children aged six, five and 19 months.
He is the second foreign journalist embedded with troops to be killed in Afghanistan in recent weeks. Michelle Lang, aged 34, working for the Calgary Herald, in Canada, died along with four Canadian soldiers in another roadside bomb attack in December.
"These terrible tragedies show that telling the story of conflict remains the most perilous of tasks for media staff," said White. "As we mourn and wish those injured a swift recovery we must redouble our efforts to reduce the risks that journalists face, even when we know that casualties are unavoidable."
Ten days ago, the IFJ released its annual statement on journalists killed in 2009 providing details of 137 deaths of media staff, including around 113 targeted killings, one of the highest numbers ever recorded.
Last modified: Monday, January 11, 2010
Your comments:
» Click here to add your comment.
Comments will be subject to approval and should not be defamatory, obscene, racist, in breach of copyright, or contrary to law. The CPBF is not reponsible for any views expressed here.
Previous war reporting stories
Media Workers Against the War - tonight's meeting cancelled
Gaza appeal & the BBC licence fee - we should still pay, but keep up the pressure
CPBF protests over BBC ban
Gaza appeal and the BBC : act now
IFJ praises courageous journalists as mission enters Gaza
IFJ to investigate violations after new assault on Gaza media
Another Gaza journalist killed, IFJ calls for global protest over media blockade
IFJ slams Israel over targeting and
Georgia and the PR war
Revealed: war propaganda in the British media
Beyond the Green Zone: Dispatches from an unembedded journalist in occupied Iraq
Iraq 5 years on: How the media sells war and why
Media workers challenge war
Journalists to debate concerns over war coverage
Alan's thanks
Consistently biased
Hostage for 100 days
Media independence during Iraq war questioned
Journalists' Coverage of Middle East Shallow and Distorted
NUJ welcomes release of kidnapped photographer
Murdoch has no regrets over Iraq
'Bomb Al-jazeera', Blunkett said
Book Review: 'The Origins and Organisation of British Propaganda in Ireland 1920'
Don't Attack Iran
Media workers against the war - meeting
Rumsfeld's assault on free speech
Unworthy Victims?
World journalists condemn “stooge journalism”
MPs raise questions on Aljazeera-gate
'Iraq memo leak' accused in court
-
Notices
Events & Announcements
World Press Freedom Day
More reporters are currently imprisoned in Turkey than in any other country in the world. Only a matter of weeks ago lawyers failed to persuade a Turkish court to release a 76-year-old journalist from a Turkish internet news station.
World Press Freedom Day on Friday May 3, 2013 is being marked in Britain by a rally to highlight the dangers facing journalists in Turkey and in this podcast, Nicholas Jones speaks to Barry White, Organiser at the Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom, and Sam Bamford, the TUC's policy officer for Eastern Europe and Africa about the importance of a campaign to highlight international press freedom.
The World Press Freedom Day rally is being staged by the National Union of Journalists at the NUJ head office, Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1 on Thursday May 2, 6pm-8pm.
DATELINE: 27/4/13
UK launch of EU media campaign
DATELINE: 13/3/13
The UK launch of a 'European Citizens' Initiative' calling for EU rules against concentration of media power will take place on Thursday March 21 from 11:00am – 12:30pm in Committee Room 4A at the House of Lords, London. Guest speakers will include actor and activist Hugh Grant (pictured), media consultant Claire Enders, Professor Steven Barnett, Barry McCall (President of the NUJ) and Marc Gruber (Director of the European Federation of Journalists).
A European Citizens' Initiative is an official petition, like a Downing Street petition. If it succeeds in gathering a million signatures across the EU, the Commission is obliged to respond.
This petition calls for the EU to act to protect media pluralism and press freedom.
CPBF Annual General Meeting
DATELINE: 1/3/13
Make a note in your diary
Saturday 13 July 2013 from 10.00am
NUJ HQ, 308/312 Gray's Inn Road, London WC1.
Leveson, media ownership, CPBF future work.
DOWNLOAD FREEPRESS NOW
DATELINE: 26/3/10
Download Freepress in PDF, ePub or mobi format. Issue 194 now available.
MEDIA FOR ALL CONFERENCE
DATELINE: 26/3/10
Papers from the Media for All Conference
MEDIA MANIFESTO
DATELINE: 26/3/10
The media’s job is to inform and entertain us but we rely on them too to tell us what our rulers and representatives are up to. In the run-up to the Iraq war the government used spin and disinformation in the media to create panic and mislead people. The truth is coming out now, but we need stronger, more independent media to be able to scrutinise governments and make informed choices.
-
Previous stories
War Reporting
Media Workers Against the War - tonight's meeting cancelled
Gaza appeal & the BBC licence fee - we should still pay, but keep up the pressure
CPBF protests over BBC ban
Gaza appeal and the BBC : act now
IFJ praises courageous journalists as mission enters Gaza
IFJ to investigate violations after new assault on Gaza media
Another Gaza journalist killed, IFJ calls for global protest over media blockade
IFJ slams Israel over targeting and
Georgia and the PR war
Revealed: war propaganda in the British media
Beyond the Green Zone: Dispatches from an unembedded journalist in occupied Iraq
Iraq 5 years on: How the media sells war and why
Media workers challenge war
Journalists to debate concerns over war coverage
Alan's thanks
Consistently biased
Hostage for 100 days
Media independence during Iraq war questioned
Journalists' Coverage of Middle East Shallow and Distorted
NUJ welcomes release of kidnapped photographer
Murdoch has no regrets over Iraq
'Bomb Al-jazeera', Blunkett said
Book Review: 'The Origins and Organisation of British Propaganda in Ireland 1920'
Don't Attack Iran
Media workers against the war - meeting
Rumsfeld's assault on free speech
Unworthy Victims?
World journalists condemn “stooge journalism”
MPs raise questions on Aljazeera-gate
'Iraq memo leak' accused in court
