Is News Worth Risking a Life?

Source: @FreeJamesFoley (Twitter)

Is the thrill of exposing a news story to the world ever worth putting a life at risk?  I've asked myself this question ever since the brutal murders of American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff by ISIS in 2014.  Considering I started this University course as an aspiring journalist, I decided to do some research into the dangers of journalism and how often these dangers take lives.  I was shocked at how high the figures are.

Source: Committee to Protect Journalists

I guess to be perfectly frank, it is in the job role that where most people turn the other way when firefighters rush into danger, a journalist's should follow, uncover the truth and show the public what is happening around them.  However, in countries of high risk, journalists are often faced with the decision of whether a story is worth risking their lives for.  I wonder whether journalists take the risk because they see it as 'just doing their job', or whether there is more to it.

Sadly, the world is seeing more and more Governments less willing to tolerate journalists speaking out and informing the public.  It seems that the message to Journalists is "if you report on human rights issues, you should be ready to spend time in prison or even be killed".

After his release from a Libyan Prison in 2011, James Foley spoke to students at Medill University, Illinois, about his motivation for covering stories in some of the worlds most dangerous places; interestingly, he believed that the only reason he survived his time in the Libyan Prison was down to luck.  He said: "When you start to take risks...when you have a close call, you really need to look at that- that's pure luck you didn't get killed there... its not worth your life.  It's not worth seeing your Mother, Father, Brother and Sister bawling.  It's not worth these things".

Video no longer available.  Screenshot: The Telegraph.

James Foley was killed by ISIS in August 2014 during his time working there as a freelance war correspondent on the Syrian Civil War.  So why, if he knew taking the risk and getting the story wasn't worth losing a life, did he travel to Syria where the risks were even higher?

In an article by Erin Banco, a freelance journalist who went into Syria with James Foley, he stated that "we weren't out chasing a war, like many veteran journalists thought we were...we were reporting in the news in a dangerous environment, but form a conflict that had global significance and would for years to come".  It seems a journalist takes the risk because their passion for exposing the truth and showing the world what they cannot see overrides any sort of danger they might put themselves into.

My view is that 'journalism' shouldn't be seen as a crime, when in reality, it is a mere job title.  The world of citizen journalism is growing and allowing anyone to speak out should they wish to do so and as long as comments aren't defamatory, people are free to call themselves journalists.  Media professionals are the eyes and ears of society and should be able to go about their jobs without having to make the decision of whether something is too much of a risk.

So no, I don't believe news is worth a life, but I do believe that journalists should be able to do their job and report a story without the fear of being kidnapped, attacked or murdered.