The Committee to Protect Journalists has released a report stating that 64 journalists died as a direct result of their profession in 2007. That marks the highest mortality rate since 1993. Nearly half of those deaths occurred in Iraq, with Somalia following in second place. 2007 is the fifth year in a row that Iraq topped the list, and the Committee reports that "most of the killings were targeted attacks, as opposed to deaths caused by cross-fire." The Committee also states that in Iraq "unidentified gunmen, suicide bombers, and American military activity" are the main perpetrators of the violence. All but one of the 31 reporters killed in Iraq were Iraqi citizens. Committee Executive Director Joel Simon said, "Working as a journalist in Iraq remains one of the most dangerous jobs on the planet. These journalists gave their lives so that all of us could be informed about what is happening in Iraq."

The PR firm outed in 2005 for planting U.S. propaganda in Iraqi newspapers is still in Iraq, working for the U.S. military. The Lincoln Group, "which has conducted surveys for the military since shortly after the invasion, received a year-long contract in January to conduct focus groups," reports Karen DeYoung. The focus groups interviewed "separate groups of men and women ... in Ramadi, Najaf, Irbil, Abu Ghraib and in Sunni and Shiite neighborhoods in Baghdad." When asked to describe "the current situation in Iraq to a foreign visitor," most Iraqis "would describe the negative elements of life in Iraq beginning with the 'U.S. occupation' in March 2003," according to a December 2007 report. So few participants mentioned Saddam Hussein that the report states, "the current strife in Iraq seems to have totally eclipsed any agonies or grievances many Iraqis would have incurred from the past regime." The Iraqis interviewed had "far more commonalities than differences," including that they "see the departure of 'occupying forces' as the key to national reconciliation."

On a three to two party line vote, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to overturn "a 32-year-old ban," allowing "broadcasters in the nation's 20 largest media markets to also own a newspaper." FCC Chair Kevin Martin, who proposed the change, called it "a relatively minor loosening" of media ownership rules. Dissenting Commissioners Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein disagree. Copps commented, "We shed crocodile tears for the financial plight of newspapers -- yet the truth is that newspaper profits are about double the S&P 500 average. We pat ourselves on the back for holding six field hearings across the United States -- yet today's decision turns a deaf ear to the thousands of Americans who waited in long lines for an open mike to testify." Congress may try to overturn the change, though Bush is likely to veto any such attempt. In related news, Martin delayed a vote on product integration on television. The delay came after lobbying by "the three main U.S. advertising trade groups," though the FCC is expected to address the issue by early 2008, according to Hollywood Reporter.

One of the GE adsIn May 2005 General Electric, which is now ranked as the world's tenth largest company, launched its "Ecomagination" PR campaign. The project, the company stated, was to "address challenges such as the need for cleaner, more efficient sources of energy." But two years later it turns out that nuclear power plants get the company's count as being imaginative. The global PR blitz has been documented a little but somewhat haphazardly. However, it would be great if together we could create the best, most authoritative article on what is perhaps the boldest global greenwashing campaign around. If you'd like to help click here for the project page. If this is your first time editing on SourceWatch, you can register here, and learn more about adding information to the site here, here and here. Have fun, and thanks for your help!