January 2, 2021

Raw Data: Killings of Reporters Were Down In 2020

Reader LL emails to ask a question: “I read a lot of stories lately of reporters being assassinated. How does the current rate compare with past years?”

That made me curious myself. Here’s the answer, via Reporters Without Borders:

In 2020, a total of 51 reporters were killed, the smallest number since 2004. The trendline over the past 16 years is slightly down.

There’s more to journalist security than just killings, so don’t take this as more meaningful than it is. Still, it means something, and I think most of us would be surprised by these numbers. But that’s the best kind of data, isn’t it?

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WE CAME UP SHORT.

We just wrapped up a shorter-than-normal, urgent-as-ever fundraising drive and we came up about $45,000 short of our $300,000 goal.

That means we're going to have upwards of $350,000, maybe more, to raise in online donations between now and June 30, when our fiscal year ends and we have to get to break-even. And even though there's zero cushion to miss the mark, we won't be all that in your face about our fundraising again until June.

So we urgently need this specific ask, what you're reading right now, to start bringing in more donations than it ever has. The reality, for these next few months and next few years, is that we have to start finding ways to grow our online supporter base in a big way—and we're optimistic we can keep making real headway by being real with you about this.

Because the bottom line: Corporations and powerful people with deep pockets will never sustain the type of journalism Mother Jones exists to do. The only investors who won’t let independent, investigative journalism down are the people who actually care about its future—you.

And we hope you might consider pitching in before moving on to whatever it is you're about to do next. We really need to see if we'll be able to raise more with this real estate on a daily basis than we have been, so we're hoping to see a promising start.

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