More than 500 journalists and media workers in dozens of countries around the world have died from the coronavirus, according to a report from the Poynter Institute released this week.
Poynter, which has been collecting obituaries of journalists who have died from COVID-19 with the help of the Press Emblem Campaign, found that more than 500 journalists — 591 as of Monday afternoon — in 57 different countries have died as a result of the coronavirus. The institute notes that the Committee to Protect Journalists has recorded that 30 journalists have died this year while doing their job or as retaliation against them because of their work.
“Since the beginning of March 2020, the PEC has started a corona-ticker to pay tribute to the journalists killed by the Covid-19 around the world,” the PEC notes on its website. “Media workers have an important role to play in the fight against the virus, they have to inform about the spread of Covid-19. The safety of media workers is particularly at risk in this crisis because they must continue to provide information on the ground. A number of them died for lack of adequate protective measures when doing their job. Our corona-ticker is designed to put names and faces to the numbers. The PEC team offers condolences to families and colleagues of the deceased.”
TheWrap notes that two employees at top news networks in America, ABC News’ “Good Morning America” camera operator Tony Greer and Fox News video producer Rob Brown, have died from the coronavirus.