‘Guardians’ a historic choice
Time magazine has recognised journalists, including slain Saudi columnist Jamal Khashoggi, as its 2018 Person of the Year, in what it says is an effort to emphasise the importance of reporters’ work in an increasingly hostile world.
The designation wasn’t intended as a specific message to the magazine’s runnerup choice, US President Donald Trump, who has denounced ‘‘fake news’’ and called some reporters enemies of the people, said Ben Goldberger, the news magazine’s executive editor.
Time cited four figures it called ‘‘the guardians’’. Besides Khashoggi, they are the staff of the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland, where five people were shot to death in June; Philippine journalist Maria Ressa; and Reuters reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, who have been jailed in Myanmar for a year.
It is the first time since the magazine began the end-of-year tradition in 1927 that Time has featured a journalist or recognised someone posthumously.
Time said 2018 had been marked by manipulation and abuse of information, along with efforts by governments to foment mistrust of the facts. Goldberger said the magazine hoped the choice reminded people outside of journalism about the importance of the work.
Joel Simon, executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, said Khashoggi was one of at least 52 journalists murdered so far this year. ‘‘In some ways, I feel we’re at a turning point,’’ Simon said.
Khashoggi was killed two months ago when the columnist, who had lived in the US, visited Saudi Arabia’s consulate in Turkey for paperwork so he could get married. He had been critical of the Saudi regime.
The Post applauded Time for its message of support for journalists. ‘‘We hope this recognition will prompt our nation’s leaders to stand up for America’s values and hold accountable those who attempt to silence journalists who cover our communities or, in Jamal’s case, an oppressive authoritarian government,’’ said publisher and CEO Fred Ryan.
Ressa co-founded website The Rappler, which has aggressively covered the government of Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte. She was recently charged with tax fraud, with many in the Philippines seeing it as a reaction to The Rappler’s reporting.
Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were imprisoned after investigating a massacre of Rohingya Muslims.
Four journalists and a sales assistant were killed by a gunman at the Capital Gazette newspaper last year.
Time is producing four different covers featuring ‘‘the guardians.’’
Last year the magazine recognised people who came forward to report sexual misconduct. Trump was Person of the Year in 2016.
The third-place finisher this year was special counsel Robert Mueller, who Time indicated could move up in next year’s rankings depending on the findings of his investigation into the Trump campaign’s contacts with Russia.