Newseum Will Host 2010 Journalists Memorial Rededication Ceremony on May 3

88 Journalists Killed in 2009 Will Be Added; Six From Past Years

WASHINGTON, April 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Monday, May 3, the Newseum will host a ceremony to rededicate its Journalists Memorial, a soaring two-story glass structure that honors newspeople who died or were killed in the pursuit of news. The Newseum will add the names of 88 journalists who died while on assignment in 2009 and six from previous years whose deaths were brought to the Newseum's attention in 2009.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080919/NEWSEUMLOGO)

Christiane Amanpour, CNN chief international correspondent, will be the ceremony's keynote speaker. A highly respected journalist recognized worldwide for her reporting, Amanpour has covered major crises from hotspots around the world, including Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Rwanda and Iran. In August, Amanpour will join ABC News as anchor of "This Week With Christiane Amanpour," which will continue to be broadcast each week from the Newseum.

"The men and women on the Journalists Memorial remind us of the importance of a free press and the threats that exist to it around the world," said Charles Overby, CEO of the Newseum. "The Newseum is proud to honor these journalists and the sacrifices they made in search of the truth."

Of the 88 journalists killed in 2009 whose names are being added to the memorial this year, 33 were killed in the Philippines, the deadliest country for journalists in 2009. Thirty Filipino journalists were killed on Nov. 23 when armed men attacked a convoy of vehicles carrying journalists, relatives and supporters about to file election papers for a gubernatorial candidate in Maguindanao province. The massacre was the largest loss of life ever suffered by journalists in a single day. In all, 57 people were killed in the attack, their bodies found in mass graves.

The ceremony will take place in the Walter and Leonore Annenberg Theater at the Newseum at 11 a.m. Visitors are invited to spend time at the Journalists Memorial on Level 3 of the Newseum before and after the program. With the addition of these 94 journalists, the memorial will honor a total of 2,007 reporters, photographers, broadcasters and news executives from around the world, dating back to 1837.

Five Deadliest Years for Journalists as of 2009

2007: 95 deaths

1994: 94 deaths

1991: 93 deaths

2009: 88 deaths

2004: 79 deaths

Deadliest Countries in 2009

Philippines: 33 deaths (includes 30 journalists killed in the Maguindanao massacre)

Somalia: nine deaths

Mexico: six deaths

Russia: six deaths

Pakistan: five deaths

Iraq: four deaths

About the Journalists Memorial

The Newseum dedicated its newly constructed Journalists Memorial on April 4, 2008, seven days before the Newseum's Grand Opening. The memorial previously had been displayed in Freedom Park at the Newseum's former site in Arlington, Va. As of May 3, 2010, the memorial will honor 2,007 individuals. The Journalists Memorial gallery also features photographs of hundreds of deceased journalists as well as kiosks where information on each honored individual can be accessed.

About the Newseum

The Newseum  --  a 250,000-square-foot museum of news -- offers visitors an experience that blends five centuries of news history with up-to-the-second technology and hands-on exhibits. Within its seven levels of galleries and theaters, the Newseum offers a unique environment that takes museum-goers behind the scenes to experience how and why news is made.

The Newseum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily and is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Admission is $19.95 for adults, $17.95 for seniors (65 and older) and $12.95 for youth (7 to 18). Annual memberships also are available. For additional information, call 888/NEWSEUM (888/639-7386) or visit newseum.org.

SOURCE Newseum