'2009 a year of terrible bloodshed for media'

The International Federation of Journalists has called for more action from governments and the United Nations to protect media as it announced a grim total of 137 journalists and media personnel killed during 2009.
The number of targeted killings at 113 is one of the highest ever recorded says the IFJ, despite calls by the United Nations for governments to put an end to impunity.
In a year that ended with a rush of media killings, the Philippines, Mexico and Somalia are designated the most dangerous countries for journalists.
"Last year's drop in the murder rate of journalists has been short lived," said Jim Boumelha, IFJ President. "The devastating massacre of 31 journalists and media staff in the Philippines in November and fresh violence against colleagues in Mexico and Somalia have made this a year of terrible bloodshed for media."
The IFJ list of work related media killings is coordinated with the International News Safety Institute (INSI) and contains 137 journalists and media personnel who died during 2009 against 109 killings recorded in 2008. Of these, 24 were accidental deaths while journalists were at work.