Reuters pays tribute to the 66 Journalists Killed in Iraq from the Deadliest Conflict for Journalists in a Generation

London — Reuters, the global news and information company, will honour journalists killed while covering the conflict in Iraq, the deadliest for the media in a generation, with a scrolling display of names and images on its giant video screen at its global headquarters in London's Canary Wharf, beginning the morning of March 14. The tribute will also appear on the 7,000 square foot LED Reuters Sign at the company's US headquarters at Times Square, New York and on reuters.com.

The tribute, timed for the run-up to the third anniversary of the start of the Iraq War, features the names of 66 journalists from around the world, four of them from Reuters, who have been killed by hostile action in the course of their work in Iraq and still images of the conflict by Reuters photographers.

“As a global newsgathering organization, we believe it is important to recognize the many journalists, including our own, who have lost their lives while covering the war in Iraq,” said David Schlesinger, Reuters Global Managing Editor and Head of Editorial Operations. “They and their families have paid a terrible price for the pursuit of truth and we are deeply indebted to them for their sacrifice.”

The names of the 66 journalists and their affiliation will run on the giant external Reuters screen in Reuters Plaza in Canary Wharf, in one of London's financial district's busiest thoroughfares. The photos, which include some of the most iconic images of the conflict, will run alongside the names as a slide show.

“Covering a war like Iraq is a terribly dangerous yet vital undertaking.” Schlesinger said. “We do everything in our power to protect journalists while still reporting the full story to serve our global audience.”

The tribute will run regularly throughout the day until March 22. The Iraq war began with air strikes at dawn Baghdad time on March 20, 2003.

The 66 names of journalists killed are from a list compiled by the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), and includes four journalists who were working for Reuters:

Reuters television cameraman Taras Protsyuk, 35, was killed when a U.S. tank shell hit the Palestine Hotel, the headquarters of international journalists in Baghdad as troops entered the Iraqi capital on April 8, 2003.

Cameraman Mazen Dana, killed on assignment on the outskirts of Baghdad in Aug 2003. The 41-year-old was shot dead by US troops whilst filming outside Baghdad's Abu Ghraib prison.

In November 2004 an Iraqi cameraman working for Reuters, 55-year-old Dhia Najim, was covering fighting near his house in Ramadi when he was shot in the head.

Waleed Khaled, 35, a soundman and driver for Reuters television was shot dead by US forces in his car in western Baghdad in August 2005.

Note to Editors:
Further information on the journalists and the circumstances of their deaths can be found on the CPJ website www.cpj.org

In December 2003, Reuters was the first international media organization in the world to report the capture of Saddam Hussein.

In February 2005, Reuters was the first news organization in the world to report the results of Iraq's election, with all major television networks running Reuters data and crediting Reuters.

In April 2005 -- Reuters was the first media organization to be granted an interview by Jalal Talabani following his swearing-in as Iraq's first ever Kurdish president.


Contacts
London
Yasmeen Khan
T: +44 207 542 0496
M:+ 44 7990 560496
Yasmeen.khan@reuters.com

NY
Samantha Topping
T: +1 646 223 5223
M: +1 917 294 0329
Samantha.topping@reuters.com

About Reuters
Reuters (www.reuters.com), the global information company, provides indispensable information tailored for professionals in the financial services, media and corporate markets. Its trusted information drives decision making across the globe based on a reputation for speed, accuracy and independence. Reuters has 15,300 staff in 89 countries, including staff from the acquisition of Telerate in June 2005. It also includes 2,300 editorial staff in 189 bureaux serving 128 countries, making Reuters the world's largest international multimedia news agency. In 2005, Reuters revenues were £2.4 billion.

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