Breaking News: Iraqi Journalist Killed
By David Mac Dougall, Baghdad Bureau
The Associated Press is reporting the death of yet another journalist in Iraq.
A veteran anchor for Iraqi State TV – Muhieddin Abdul-Hamid – was apparently killed by gunmen near his apartment in eastern Mosul on Tuesday morning.
Mr Abdul-Hamid’s bureau chief told the French Press Agency he was a popular anchor who had been threatened many times, but never quit his job. Mr Abdul-Hamid presented several religious and cultural programs for Iraqi State TV.
Despite recent security gains, it’s still very dangerous to be a journalist working in Iraq: that’s especially true if you’re an Iraqi journalist. This is a country without a long tradition of free press, and Iraqis are fascinated by news: whether it’s on TV, on-line or in newspapers. Satellite dishes have become so wide-spread, practically on every rooftop, that’s they’re jokingly called the “national flower of Iraq”.
The Committee to Protect Journalists – based in New York – says around 130 journalists have been killed in Iraq since the 2003 invasion. However, the Iraq-based Journalism Freedom Observatory puts the figure much higher – they say at least 237 media workers have been killed since 2003.
Just yesterday, a new memorial to journalists killed while reporting on conflicts for the BBC was unveiled in London. It’s a 32-foot high glass and steel cone which shines a beam of light into the sky at 10pm each evening.
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what recent security gains?
Very sad about the journalist killed. Despite the major security gains, there are sadly going to be these horrible and senseless killings. Looking forward to your future postings David. Keep up the great work….and be careful.
Let’s see that would be like killing someone for what they say or print rather than killing them for their Ipod! Ok, I guess that makes sense.
Journalists do make a very big deal out of the deaths of fellow journalists. While too bad, I do think they are there voluntarily and enjoy more security than those guarding them and out hunting bad guys. They also get paid a LOT more, and stand to become candidates for various awards in journalism. I’d rather hear about the men and women who are doing the heavy lifting, for much less in compensation and often getting little respect upon their return. If they return.
While this death is tragic, we must remember that Mr Abdul-Hamid died providing a service he believed in. He must have truly loved his job to continue after the threats he received. My heart goes out to his family and friends.