New York Times journalist Anthony Shadid died last February

It’s one of those weeks when many in our global tribe will take a moment to reflect on our business. Journalism should not be about the journalists’ own stories, but there are moments when it is.

A year ago this month, some of our best storytellers and cherished colleagues lost their lives on the job in Syria. On 16 February, Anthony Shadid of the New York Times died suddenly of an asthma attack on his way out of Syria.

The world lost a gifted chronicler who wrote with great authority and affection about the Middle East and beyond.

Five days on, late in the evening, one of the most prolific Syrian citizen journalists Rami al-Sayed was killed in shelling in Homs.

The next morning more terrible news came. An old friend and fellow traveller, veteran correspondent Marie Colvin, and young French photojournalist Remi Ochlik were dead.

Others, including Marie’s colleague Paul Conroy and French journalist Edith Bouvier, were also badly injured when a house in Homs serving as……………………

Last year was a terrible year for the world’s media. The Committee to Protect Journalists, in its annual report, recently announced that 28 were killed in Syria last year, making it the deadliest place worldwide to cover a story.

Seventy were killed on the job around the world, many more than the year before.

And in Syria, a number of journalists are described as “missing”, including the American Austin Tice, last seen in August, and James Foley who went missing in November.

‘Taking risks’

Last February, Marie Colvin who had seen the worst of too many wars, was given caring words of caution from friends and colleagues before she made the risky journey across the border into Syria. She acknowledged the danger, but insisted: “It’s what we do.”

In an email to the BBC’s Middle East Editor Jeremy Bowen 24 hours before she died, Marie wrote: “I am in Syria, freezing in Baba Amr. I thought yesterday’s piece was one of those we got into journalism for. They are killing with impunity here. It is sickening and anger-making.”

Source: Lyse Doucet, Chief international correspondent, BBC