April 06, 2003
War Reporter Dies
My favorite embedded journalist has died. Like so many other viewers, I had been intrigued by the "live from a tank rumbling across the desert" reports of David Bloom. Since the earliest moments of the war I've watched for his reports. Almost single-handedly he made MSNBC the first channel I tune in to for war reports.
About 12 hours ago, on the outskirts of Bagdad, he collapsed from what is reported to be a pulmonary embolism. [Story] He was evacced to a hospital where he died.
To me he was the epitomy of the 21st century live-by-satellite journalist, reporting this war direct from the battlefield -- clinging to a rumbling tank, standing at the edge of a battlefield, peering into the camera through the sandstorm. There are many reporters like him, but for some reason he caught my attention.
I saw a report from him a day or so ago and commented on how he looked. Hair chaotic, face dark brown from dirt and/or sun. His appearance was not neccesarily related to what killed him, but these people are clearly going through an ordeal.
Another embedded reporter, Bob Arnott, who I've been watching-for over the past few days, said about Bloom, he was "... a great adventurer, a tireless reporter..."
Posted by jghiii at April 6, 2003 11:12 AM