Newseum to Host Journalists Memorial Rededication Ceremony May 13
Following a deadly year, Newseum launches public awareness campaign

WASHINGTON — On Monday, May 13, the Newseum will rededicate its Journalists Memorial, which honors newspeople who died or were killed in the pursuit of news. The names of 84 journalists who died covering the news in 2012 will be added to the memorial at the 10 a.m. ceremony, along with six journalists killed in previous years who were recently brought to the Newseum’s attention. The 2012 death toll of 84 is the fourth highest number of journalists killed in a single year.

The keynote speaker at the ceremony will be Richard Engel, chief foreign correspondent for NBC News. Engel, 39, was on assignment in Syria last year when he and several members of his television news production crew were kidnapped and held hostage by armed gunmen for five days, enduring psychological torture and mock executions while NBC and the United States government worked to secure their release. One of the only Western journalists to cover the entire Iraq War, Engel also covered the Arab Spring in Egypt and the ongoing conflict in Libya.

The Newseum is launching a campaign to raise public awareness of the threats and dangers some journalists face while covering and reporting the news. Newspapers and magazines around the world are invited to participate in the campaign by printing an ad on or around May 13 featuring the names and faces of the 84 journalists who died reporting the news in 2012. The free ads will be available for download on newseum.org, and a list of participating news organizations will be featured on the site.

With this year’s addition of 90 names from 2012 and previous years, the memorial will honor a total of 2,246 reporters, photographers, broadcasters and news executives from around the world, dating back to 1837.

The deadliest country for journalists in 2012 was Syria, where 29 journalists were killed. Among the journalists who died reporting from Syria were Marie Colvin, The Sunday Times; Gilles Jacquier, France 2; Remi Ochlik, freelance; Anthony Shadid, The New York Times; and Mika Yamamoto, Japan Press.

Deadliest Countries for Journalists in 2012
Syria: 29 deaths
Somalia: 12 deaths
Brazil and Pakistan: 7 deaths
Indonesia: 6 deaths (5 were killed in a plane crash)

Deadliest Years for Journalists
2007: 95 deaths
1991 and 1994: 94 deaths
2009: 88 deaths
2012: 84 deaths
2004: 79 deaths

About the Journalists Memorial
The Newseum dedicated its new Journalists Memorial on April 4, 2008, seven days before the Newseum’s grand opening on Pennsylvania Avenue. A previous memorial had been displayed in Freedom Park at the Newseum’s former site in Arlington, Va. The Journalists Memorial Gallery features hundreds of photographs of the honored journalists as well as kiosks where information on each person can be accessed. The online Journalists Memorial database can be accessed at this link: Journalists Memorial.

About the Newseum
The mission of the Newseum is to champion the five freedoms of the First Amendment through education, information and entertainment. One of the top attractions in Washington, D.C., the Newseum’s 250,000-square-foot news museum offers visitors a state-of-the-art experience that blends news history with up-to-the-second technology and hands-on exhibits. The Newseum is a 501(c)(3) public charity funded, in part, by the Freedom Forum. The First Amendment Center at the Newseum and in Nashville and the Diversity Institute serve as forums for the study and exploration of the First Amendment. For more information visit newseum.org or follow us on and .

NOTE TO EDITORS: Journalists interested in attending the May 13 ceremony should RSVP to Jonathan Thompson at or 202/292-6353.

Publications interested in participating in the Newseum’s public awareness campaign should visit the ad download page on newseum.org.