If only there was a way for journalists to be completely covert and anonymous - "ghost journalists."

I hope that Alan Jonston be released soon and alive. I would also suggest a few more developments: (1) the world has finally realized the true power of the press/media to influence opinion, hide facts, and spin the truth. Therefore (2) when the CIA sends in agents disguised as reporters into the middle east, the opposition has no option but to capture the reporter. It is in fact the untruthful reporter who can cause the most damage.

Reporters from Al Jazeera are never captured and killed.

it's because the reputation of the journalist has been tarnished. it used to be that the journalist was considered a neutral party, like a medic or a U.N. observer. Nowadays the journalists are highly opinionated and have preconcieved notions before they begin, are biased. They have forgotten the most important part of what used to be a noble profession, the attempt to seek the truth for an honest report to the public.

Medea have become a propaganda tool, psychological warfare. So now, everybody hate the media for being overly liberal or overly conservative or overly religous, and unfortunately take it out on the medea reporters.

The same trend is true not only for journalists, but also aid workers in various places worldwide. It has nothing to do with journalism's reputation being tarnished, and everything to do with the rise of terrorism and non-state associated paramilitary groups that are not beholden to the "bad press" fears of big governments when they kill journalists.

So... are we to infer from the article that, in the opinion of the author, the world is becoming LESS safe? Despite (or because of) America sending hundreds of thousands of troops abroad?

Well, in Somalia, Zimbabwe, Sudan, Chad, Congo, Ethiopia it's now much more dangerous because countries like America, Russia, Israel and China sold them weapons. Thirty years ago, when I was in the Peace Corps (several locations, esp. E Africa), guns simply weren't everywhere. Now its the norm. There are almost no gun/weapons/ammo factories in Africa; it all comes from the more powerful countries. It's a shame. We can claim it's more dangerous, and it is, but who exactly is to blame?

Why don't we send in a Navy Seal unit to get Alan out? Isn't that what they're trained for? Where's the military when we need em?

it is time for all reporters to stay out of combat areas why should you risk your lives trying to get their message out let al jazeera have the story. it is up to palestine to get their story out if they want it told let them protect you. when their story does not leave the middle east they will come looking for you.their is no reason for any reporter to be kidnaped so he can benifit palestine's view. the idea of putting youself and youre families through hell makes no sense. there is no story worth your life, and if you depend on other people to rescue you , now you are putting others in danger they don't need to be in.if you choose to go into these god forsaken places you should be on your own, no rescue attempt or ransom paid. the only reason you are being grabbed is they want money these people don't care about the news all they want is money.in my opinion if they won't protect you their story is not worth the risk. when the world no longer gets their story once again they will be looking for reporters high and low.till them who cares what happens to them let them take responsibility for their own actions.

Mr.Fletcher, It seems the world becomes more dangerous all the time. I surely hope that Alan Johnston is released safe and sound to his family. I admire all the journalists who report from these war torn areas. The places that you people can go becomes smaller and smaller. As you stated they either place no value on journalists or too much value. Please be careful Mr. Fletcher in this region. Stay safe! All human life is priceless. Peace to all!

The truth used to be helpful to terrorists/etc. Now, the truth is dangerous to them. Plus, they no longer need journalists to present their story - they can do it themselves, without fear of having to be truthful, on the web.

Brandon, the media themselves have become a certain brand of non-state sponsored terrorists. Propaganda, deceit and outright lies. America is living in bubble and has no idea what's really going on in the world, esp. in places like central america and the middle east.

it seems as if the world has no room for the real truth, it only recognizes its own truth at the cost of countless lives

I always marveled at reporters determination and dedication to getting story, often times, at great peril. There are many reports who present unbiased reporting and stick to the facts. They shold be congratulated. However, there are some who are more concerned about not reporting factually or about the event they are covering. These reporters damage the reputation of all reporters. Reports flew into a firebase that was overrun the night before with 33 dead and 77 wounded. The company commander of the unit charged with gathering the dead was approached by a reporter and asked about the Calley decision. This is even continues to stick in my craw. A very emotional and traumataic situation for the soldiers involved, picking up the remains (sometimes not whole) of friends and comrades. I should move on, but somethings stay with you, as anyone knows that has been in traumatic situations.

There are still those "successful" journalists who manage to interview spotlight-hungry terrorist leaders by writing anti-American, pro-terrorists articles. We really don't need those guys. Maybe it's to your credit that you are restricted. It's a shame that there is absolutely no pressure at all on local domestic journalists to be neutral and report the truth; domestic journalists have great pressure, beginning from journalism schooling in college, to compete with their peers to be more and more anti-American (remember news giant Dan Rather fabricating facts to advance the liberal agenda?).

Most govts.have a hard time handling the Truth.Spin is usually the order of the day.If you are told the same thing more than three times a day; it's usually a lie.

It's sad because the media only reports the negative and the dark side of anything be it the war, the economy,or any other issue.

Journalists, specifically members of the news media in the United States of America, are not only no-talent hacks who regularly engage in what amounts to pap and wetwork, but also unethical, immoral, corrupt, lazy, incompetent, stupid, worthless, useless, liars, cowards, and traitors to the United States of America. Perhaps you should grow a backbone and a set of balls. Perhaps you snot-nosed, aged school-yard bullies should grow up and do your jobs properly instead of being whores for the Democratic Party and other anti-American interests. Feel free to censor this comment since it is factually proven the news media of the United States of America does NOT believe in the First Amendment, Free Speech, or God.

So,....now that we are all less safe, we must listen to everything The Leader tells us because it's the only source left to us. How insightful of The Leader to foresee this event and build His Own Media Empire (HOME). How fortunate for all us that we no longer have to endure conflicting reports or the truth.

The real truth is that the Media is a business. As a business its' main function is to make money(through ads,etc). This is either accomplished by reporting the events in a neutral manner(a historically rare event for the media to do) or by manipulating emotions, events, facts, truths, etc. to enhance its' own immage and thus its' advertising revenues.

If militants in places like Somalia and Gaza kidnap and/or murder journalists who are there to shed light on societal problems, then so be it. Many perceive the media as an enemy, and while some would argue that's true, those same people should also accept that the media may be their only hope. So, we should stay out of places hostile to journalists and let those people slaughter each other like wild animals. It's a fitting fate. Attention should be directed to places where it's both needed and rightuflly accepted.

it's not a bad thing that the media reports the negative, because that's where humanity should be focusing a great deal of our attention. If there are starving people in brazil, warlords raping women in saharan africa, abuses at abu graib prison, cia agents selling cocaine in columbia, sex trafficing in the ukraine, human rights abuses in guatemala, shady oil deals in nigeria... then everybody needs to know about it so we can help. how would you like it if you were one of the abused? this is the way that reporters can help humanity and move the world forward in a positive direction. they need to continue to get into those sticky areas, even when it's somewhat dangerous. if they don't, who will? Don't be afraid, Mr. Martin Fletcher, do the right thing.

When you swim in the water filled with sharks, you have to expect that one day sombody is going to get eaten. Duh! I watch the T.V. news each night and all I see is basically the same picture over and over. The large hole in the ground, cars and peope scattered all over the place. It just don't change. The reason we don't see any reporting on the success of the "Surge" because ther is none. Our posture is totally defensive. Who do you shoot at? The reality is bush wants that oil and is going to get it no matter what the cost. History will show this was always his motive.

Bush Administration Under a Cloud By The Associated PressThe Associated Press Sunday, April 22, 2007; 1:41 PM -- A rundown of Bush appointees who left under a cloud or face conflict-of-interest allegations _Scooter Libby, former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney, was convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice in a grand jury investigation into the outing of CIA operative Valerie Plame. His trial also implicated top political adviser Karl Rove and Cheney in a campaign to discredit her husband, Iraq war critic and retired ambassador Joe Wilson. Libby, who plans an appeal, is awaiting a June 5 sentencing. _ Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is fighting to hold onto his job in the face of congressional investigations into his role in the firing of eight U.S. attorneys. Two top aides have resigned in the investigation into whether the firings were politically motivated. Emails and other evidence released by the Justice Deparment suggest that Rove played a part in the process. Other e-mails, sent on Republican party accounts, either have disappeared or were erased. _ Paul Wolfowitz, president of the World Bank and a former deputy defense secretary, acknowledged he helped arrange a large pay raise for his female companion when she was transferred to the State Department but remained on the bank payroll. The incident intensified calls at the bank for his resignation. _ J. Steven Griles, an oil and gas lobbyist who became deputy Interior Secretary J., last month became the highest-ranking Bush administration official convicted in the Jack Abramoff influence-peddling scandal, pleading guilty to obstructing justice by lying to a Senate committee about his relationship with the convicted lobbyist. Abramoff repeatedly sought Griles' intervention at Interior on behalf of Indian tribal clients. _ Former White House aide, David H. Safavian, was convicted last year of lying to government investigators about his ties to Abramoff and faces a 180-month prison sentence. _ Roger Stillwell, a former Interior Department official, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge for not reporting tickets he received from Abramoff. _ Sue Ellen Wooldridge, the top Justice Department prosecutor in the environmental division until January, bought a $980,000 beach house in South Carolina with ConocoPhillips lobbyist Donald R. Duncan and oil and gas lobbyist Griles. Soon thereafter, she signed an agreement giving the oil company more time to clean up air pollution at some of its refineries. Congressional Democrats have denounced the arrangement. _ Matteo Fontana, a Department of Education official who oversaw the student loan industry, was put on leave last week after disclosure that he owned at least $100,000 worth of stock in a student loan company. _ Claude Allen, who had been Bush's domestic policy adviser, pleaded guilty to theft in making phony returns at discount department stores while working at the White house. He was sentenced to two years of supervised probation and fined $500. _ Philip Cooney, a former American Petroleum Institute lobbyist who became chief of staff for the White House Council on Environmental Quality, acknowledged in congressional testimony earlier this year that he changed three government reports to eliminate or downplay links between greenhouse gases and global warming. He left in 2005 to work for Exxon Mobil Corp. _ Darleen Druyun, a former Air Force procurement officer, served nine months in prison in 2005 for violating federal conflict-of-interest rules in a deal to lease Boeing refueling tankers for $23 billion, despite Pentagon studies showing the tankers were unnecessary. After making the deal, she quit the government and joined Boeing. _Eric Keroack, Bush's choice to oversee the federal family planning program, resigned from the post suddenly last month after the Massachusetts Medicaid office launched an investigation into his private practice. He had been medical director of an organization that opposes premarital sex and contraception. _ Lurita Doan, head of the General Services Administration, attended a luncheon at the agency earlier this year with other top GSA political appointees at which Scott Jennings, a top Rove aide, gave a PowerPoint demonstration on how to help Republican candidates in 2008. A congressional committee is investigating whether the remarks violated a federal law that restricts executive-branch employees from using their positions for political purposes. _ Robert W. Cobb, NASA's inspector general is under investigation on charges of ignoring safety violations in the space program. An internal administration review said he routinely tipped off department officials to internal investigations and quashed a report related to the Columbia shuttle explosion to avoid embarrassing the agency. He remains on the job. Only Bush can fire him. _ Julie MacDonald, who oversees the Fish and Wildlife Service but has no academic background in biology, overrode recommendations of agency scientists about how to protect endangered species and improperly leaked internal information to private groups, the Interior Department inspector general said.

The media is like everything else in this country. The more freedoms you give the reporters and of course the freedom of speech they end up hurting the people. Take VA TECH for instance. They had no respect for anyone.

I watched Bill Moyers TV program on how we got into the Iraq War on PBS Special last night. I was astounded how so many fine reporters accepted reasons to attack Iraq from "experts" back then, without thoroughly investigating their "facts" which turned out to be lies. Our fine reporters should not put their lives on the line. Instead they should be more skeptical and demand provable answers - and reject all the crappy "spin" they get from politicians. If the question isn't answered directly, don't print the "spin!" p.s. Those reporters on the PBS Special deserve our most profound respect for going back and correcting the mistakes they made 4-5 years ago.

Sad that the media could not just contribute to the public (Government) and private (Commerce, People, etc.)sectors as an observer. Unfortunately each sector's representative seem to have a greater interest in capitalism instead of an informed democracy. But we saw what happened when we did not have enough media with "boots on the ground" telling exactly what they saw as opposed to the Administration, Congress, Major Media and their expert "Pundits". For all honest Journalists, Please keep your head down & do not trust anyone whether in the USA (currently Capitalist not Democratic) or in Foreign Lands... As with the Troops, Thank God for a "Free" (Highest Bidder) Press and a Volunteer ($$$ Bonus) Service

Dear Martin, I pray that BBC reporter, Alan Johnston comes home safely. please, please, please be careful.

Reporters of Al Jazira were killed in Baghdad, when its office was intentionally targeted by American bombers at the start of the invasion of Irak four years ago; and one of them is jailed in Guatanamo because he happened to be in Kabul when it was occupied by the Nato troops; moreover, the British government had planned a bombing of the headquarters of Al Jazira in Doha(Qatar); and the case of the British reporter who blew out the story is still pending before a British court!

Reporters have no one to blame but themselves. Every side has a story to tell. The media has lost the ability to see through other eyes. Life is not one-pointed. A soldier is not excempt from death, so why should a reporter be?

Seems to me that the media is trying to undermine the good old US of A all in the name or ratings/money! The military should censor everything coming out of the Mideast, just like they did in WW II, and let the troops "flex" their muscles! The war would probably end pretty quick!

The unfortunate truth is that nobody really believes what you guys/gals report anyway. The news media has become nothing more than biased entertainment. Liberals can tune in to the liberal news to justify and bolster what they want to hear just as conservatives can tune into the conservative news. You've all done a wonderful job of prostituting your profession.

To Alistar, UK: Reporters from Al Jazeera are captured and tortured, or they are killed by--us, not them. But I guess its different when we kill or torture, not like them there savages with no regard for human life--or at least western human life, not like them there non-western ignorant savages lives'.

I imagine journalists understand they need to adapt to the world's changing realities and have to prepare for them to worsen. I also guess they constantly ask themselves why they do it and hope social responsibility is still above personal/corporate glory. I pray for Mr. Johnston's well being and safe return.

Why listen to anything anymore? I think a really good way to live is to avoid the news at all cost and focus on American Idol and Survivor. Now really, what does one NEED to know. If there is a nuclear bomb on the way, I might NEED to know, but then again I probably don't really want to know anyway. signed, clueless in Texas

I have to chuckle when people start with truth and fiction. To me, in fact there is no absolute truth or lies. It is all relative to the causes people take up, and to the political agenda they cherish. The biggest mistake is to start calling ANY politician a liar, and each other 'liars' and accepting the truth of one group over another as absolute, especially if it comes from 'God-professing sayers'.

My Personal opinion, the media has no business in a war zone. The government should have done what they tit during Desert Storm, and shut out the media. They should have only allowed certain information to get out. Im not for the war, but we have to many people in this country offering too many solutions. noone will be happy until they get there own way. But when news reporters are kidnapped, its sad to say, but the United States does not negotiate with hostage takers. Unless you live in England, your SOL if your taken.

Is it possible that the people all over the world are aware of the media's abandonment of truth-telling and objectivity in its efforts to fit the facts on the ground into a template pre-ordained by the prevailing orthodoxy? That orthodoxy now, of course, is defeatist liberalism.

Those who commented that it is the THUGS, who only seek world-wide publicity (and money), are correct in their views! If the world ignored the kidnapping, extortion, wounding, killing of journalists - This unnecessary violence towards reporters would end... I appreciate the reporter's sacrafice(s) in telling the world (that cares) what is going on in whatever part of the world she/he is covering, but let's stop these mal-contents now and forever by using the neutron bomb which only destroys people and not the infrastructure.

Joseph Malbec, NY..I agree 110% with you. I couldn't have said it better.

Certainly seems to be that reporters have gone soft. What they do now, is in their own best interest. A profession that was once honored is now somewhat just another job.

The media journalists are being used to fufill the polittical needs of cowards that wont do it them selves (scapegoat).

There is no such thing as a safe profession for any one when every thug builds a militia with people who don’t know any better and arms them. Members of Clergy, aid workers Medics and now reporters, you are all fair game. It is what the world in which we live has come to be …

The danger reflects the amost universal distrust and disgust with the media in general. Veiwed as without priciples or morals, it is no wonder they become targets.

I find it depressing that there are still starry-eyed idealists who believe that their notion of "truth" and "freedome" are enough to protect them in some of these places. having been to Somalia, Darfur, Iraq, and countless other places I can tell you that these "terrorists" don't give a rats patoot about your neutrality/nationality/political/religious or social beliefs/leanings. They simply view you as an impediment to attainment of their cause. And to blame things like Africa on sale of arms is ridiculous. Look at Rwanda where over 75% of the killings was by machete. Does that mean the steel manufacturers are to blame? Reporters SHOULD have the ability to travel freely between sides of conflict and I hope that the world one day aloows that. I'm just not too optimistic.

This world that we are living in is hell on earth and as reporters report the crimes commited by these demons they will become targets for these demons.

I am amazed at the suprise articulated by the story; Main stream media reporters are primarily liberal individuals believing there is good in all people and that apeasment and reason will win the day. We have passed that point; there are too many people for whom life has no value; reason has no truth and love has no reciprocity. There are thousands whose objective is only to kill in the name of religon; that have a stated goal of killing all Christians and Jews and are acting on that objective. What response? Assume blame for others' hatred? I don't think so;

why not just let Isreal have a full scale invasion, I'm sure he'll turn up, one way or the other. Oh, and Bigmac, the guy is British and USNavy Seals are American, so let the Brits pull the rescue. Also, it helps to know where the guy is before a rescue can take place. I say we decende like the Romans and invade all of the middle east, leaving one nation of Isreal alive. Viva war!

A new approach was invented in Iraq and that was to have the reporters embedded. This offers proper protection and forces the reporter to report accurately what happens since he has witnesses. This also forces the reporter to loose his liberal bias and see the troops as real people doing a messy job, including protecting the reporter. If the reporter wants to wander off and do his own thing, then he must assume the risks. Frankly, I would put a much higher ransom on a captured troop member than any reporter, the troops must be there and the reporter only wants to be there for his own glory.

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