Despite the drama surrounding war zone coverage, the great majority of journalists killed in the line of duty worldwide die in domestic situations. Many are killed because of what they inquire into and write about. The price of democracy is high. Journalists sometimes pay a high emotional price as well. Time was when newsroom culture held that journalists, as observers rather than participants, should be immune to the toll of this kind of immersion. Those who knew they weren’t often kept it to themselves – for fear of jeopardizing their standing in the newsroom or even their careers.

Journalists have no shortage of ethical issues to confront in reporting on victims, violence and trauma. Editors, producers, reporters and photographers seek to balance the public’s need for accurate, unflinching reporting against the possibility of inflicting harm. At the same time, it has never been more dangerous to be a journalist. According to the International News Safety Institute (INSI), 116 journalists and media workers were killed in 2023 - and 21 so far in 2024..