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The Cost Of Reporting News

By Keith Cowing
NASA Watch
June 6, 2016
Filed under
The Cost Of Reporting News

NPR Photographer, Interpreter Killed In Afghanistan, NPR
“David Gilkey, an NPR photojournalist who chronicled pain and beauty in war and conflict, was killed in Afghanistan on Sunday along with NPR’s Afghan interpreter Zabihullah Tamanna. David and Zabihullah were on assignment for the network traveling with an Afghan army unit, which came under attack killing David and Zabihullah. David was 50 and Zabihullah, who for years also worked as a photographer, was 38-years-old.”
Keith’s note: I used to be a professional interpreter and I sometimes act like a journalist. And I have reported from somewhat dangerous places. But not like this team – not even remotely close. These guys pushed the envelope so that we could understand the hell that others are going through – in a way such that we can comfortably listen/read about all of it during our morning commute. Your enlightened world view has a human cost folks.

NASA Watch founder, Explorers Club Fellow, ex-NASA, Away Teams, Journalist, Space & Astrobiology, Lapsed climber.

3 responses to “The Cost Of Reporting News”

  1. Michael Spencer says:
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    Numbers are a little dicey, but:

    Last year 73 journalists were killed. On the other hand, there are about 35k journalists working in the US. One source estimates, though, that there are around 500 ‘war correspondents’ in 2014; an abysmal necessity.

    73/500 = 15%. Not very good numbers.

  2. Daniel Woodard says:
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    I note they were working for NPR, which has also pushed the envelope in getting to the scene and providing “ground truth”.

  3. AgingWatcher says:
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    As long as our culture produces dedicated people who follow the reporting wherever it may lead and then share what they find, we’ll hold onto one of the key underpinnings of a working democracy. They’re fewer in number these days, but you can still spot them out there fighting the good fight.