Media under fire

As many reporters have pointed out, it’s not safe on the ground in Iraq for journalists, embedded or not. As a reflection of that fact, the number of reporters stationed in Iraq has dwindled from an all time high just after the invasion of about 1000 to a mere 100 or so now. Additionally, most have confined their reporting to brief ventures out of the Green Zone, fearful that even a visit to a friendly quarter may result in an assault by so-called insurgents or even American troops as seen below.

Mediachannel.org is concerned that coverage of the war will wane further as the administration's slight of hand in shuffling troops begins and corporate media attention plummets further.

Reporters Sans Frontiers sums up the year for the media around the world:

2005:

- 63 journalists and 5 media assistants were killed
- at least 807 journalists were arrested
- 1,308 physically attacked or threatened
- and 1,006 media outlets censored