JAMAICANS only kill journalists verbally, so the country is considered safe for newsmen and women to operate.

But in other parts of the world, our colleagues exist literally under the gun. More than 100 journalists and support workers died covering the news in 2008, according to data compiled by the International News Safety Institute (INSI).

It counted 109 casualties in 36 countries, the great majority of them murdered apparently because of their work. An additional four deaths are still under investigation.

At least 1,375 news personnel now have died trying to gather the news in the 12 years since 1996, the start date for INSI’s “Killing The Messenger” tracker for global media casualties.

And 2009 has got off to a grim start with three journalists killed in the first four days – two in a suicide bombing in Pakistan and one gunned down in Somalia.

However, the figure for 2008, cross-checked with data gathered by the International Federation of Journalists, was significantly down from the 172 counted in 2007, a record year.

This was due mainly to a major fall in deaths in Iraq, from 65 to 16, the result of a general reduction in violence there. A total of 252 news personnel, most of them Iraqi, have now died covering that conflict since the US-led invasion of 2003.

“We celebrate a safer environment for our Iraqi colleagues after five long years of great danger and terrible casualties, but Iraq remains the deadliest place in the world for the news media,” said INSI director Rodney Pinder.

“We can only hope and pray the situation continues to improve.”

Elsewhere in the world, there was little change in the daily dangers faced by thousands of journalists, most of them working in their own countries, covering low intensity conflicts, crime and corruption.

The deadliest countries after Iraq were India and Mexico, with 10 each, Thailand (9), the Philippines (8) and Pakistan (7). Five of the Thais were killed in a tragic car crash on their way to the funeral of a colleague murdered by a terrorist bomber. Accidents claimed 25 lives around the world in the course of the year.

INSI recorded at least 38 kidnappings in 2008, the worst places being Iraq (8), Pakistan (6), Somalia (5) and Afghanistan (4). Eight journalists died in captivity – six in Iraq and one in Afghanistan.

The casualty count outside Iraq and Afghanistan remained at the high end of the pre-war years. The five years 1997-2002 saw a low of 66 deaths and a high of 103.

“Journalists in far too many countries continue to be targeted for murder because of what they do,” Pinder said. “This remains an intolerable situation which must be confronted with determination by the international community. Without a free press corruption and crime thrive, undermining political and economic development for millions.

“We call on all nations, in war and peace, to observe in letter and in spirit UN Security Council Resolution 1738 of 2006 on the safety of journalists and on ending impunity for those who kill them,” he said.

As a safety organisation, INSI records all causes of death, whether deliberate, accidental or health-related, of all news media staff and freelancers while on a news assignment or as a result of a news organisation being attacked because of its work.

Details of all fatal incidents in 2008 and previous years are available on INSI’s website: www.newssafety.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5177&Itemid=100190

Online Spanish course on covering elections

Latin American and Caribbean journalists who will cover elections in 2009 will receive preference for the Knight Center’s free online course that begins January 20, 2009. The five-week course taught by veteran Colombian journalist and instructor María Teresa Ronderos ends February 27. Applications will be accepted until Jan. 12, 2009. Journalists can apply here:

www.engr.utexas.edu/sos/survey/83117076/index.cfm

Looking a break from the newsroom?

Mid-career journalists worldwide can apply for the chance to take a break from the newsroom to spend between three and nine months at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism in Oxford, United Kingdom. Deadline is January 28, 2009.

The programme provides journalists the opportunity to study a subject in depth throughout the duration of the fellowship. The institute’s main areas of focus are politics, business, the future of journalism, science, religion, the environment, and war. Candidates must have worked in journalism for at least five years and be fluent in English. Fellows are expected to write a research paper. The fellowship may vary in duration and benefits, which include travel expenses, accommodation, and a modest living allowance. For information on how to apply, visit: reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/fellowships/overview.html.

Send comments to The Spike at desal@cwjamaica.com

Desmond Allen, aka The Spike, a 35-year veteran of journalism, is a former president of the Press Association of Jamaica and founding general secretary of the regional Association of Caribbean Media Workers.