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ARLINGTON, Va. - Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, kidnapped by Islamic militants in Pakistan, became the face of journalists who lost their lives covering the news last year. At least 30 others died worldwide.
Their names were added to the Freedom Forum Journalists Memorial, a spiraling tower of glass that reflects the sunlight in rainbow colors. Family members and journalists read aloud Friday each of the 1,475 names, dating from 1812 through last year.
They noted that this year's toll will probably finish higher.
The Committee to Protect Journalists named Iraq, where nine journalists died in the first three weeks of the U.S.-led invasion, the "worst place in the world" to be a journalist.
Names of the war dead, including NBC News reporter David Bloom, Atlantic Monthly editor-at-large Michael Kelly and Associated Press Television News cameraman Nazeh Darwazeh, will be added to the monument in 2004.
Afghanistan was fourth on the "worst place" list released Friday by the U.S. media watchdog, which said its list of "10 worst places to be a journalist" reflected the physical danger, government harassment, jailings and intimidation faced by journalists.
Also named were Cuba, Vietnam, Chechnya, the West Bank and Gaza, Eritrea, Togo, Colombia and Belarus. The list was put out in conjunction with World Press Freedom Day, which is being marked Saturday.