With the great news last week that freelance journalists Amanda LIndhout and Nigel Brennan had been freed from captivity in Somalia has come discussions about the safety of freelance journalists, the effect of the greater use of freelance journalists by mainstream media and the tendency of novice journalists to head off to dangerous parts of the world to make a name for themselves.

That's not to say that Lindhout and Brennan necessarily fall into that last character (though a recent article by the New York Times' Ian Austen suggested as much by outlining Lindhout's limited experience and the belief that Brennan may never have sold any photographs before deciding to go to Somalia to take photos with Lindhout).

Regardless, such incidents and other threats to freelance journalists may increase in frequency as transport becomes easier, technology improves, media outlets cut back on adequately funded foreign correspondents and rely more heavily on freelance journalists. All of those factors, combined with the growth of citizen journalism, may see more and more aspiring journalists heading into dangerous, under-reported parts of the world to gain the experience and exposure they feel they need to "make it" as a journalist.

As the New York Times article says:

Wars have long provided a way into journalism for some adventurous aspiring reporters (as well as death, kidnappings and injury for others). And courageous, if inexperienced, freelancers have brought important stories to light that might otherwise have gone unreported.

The Internet, digital photography and affordable, high-quality video cameras now make it easier than ever for anyone to report from just about anywhere in the world. A proliferation of television outlets occurring at the same time that large news organizations are cutting back on reporting potentially creates a bigger market for reporting by newcomers.

But those developments also come as, several analysts say, reporting has never been more dangerous, for everyone.

"This business of inexperienced people going into conflict zones without proper preparation or training is increasingly worrying," said Rodney Pinder, the former global editor of Reuters Television who is now the director of the International News Safety Institute, a charity financed largely by news organizations and based in Brussels.

"There's a lot of ignorance behind some of this behavior, because people don't realize how dangerous it's become for journalists in the world today," he said. Mr. Pinder's organization estimates that about 1,500 people have been killed while working for news organizations in the last decade.

Where is the middle ground between the good that can come from freelance journalists trying to tell the stories that staff correspondents no longer can and the bad that comes from inexperienced novice reporters putting themselves in harm's way without proper support or protection?

Veteran journalist Caitlin Kelly looks at that balance in an article that suggests novice journalists would do best to steer clear of the world's danger hot spots:

Like the word "art" or "antique", "journalist" is a word with no clear, precise or official definition. It's also a handy title stretched mighty thin, claimed because they can by armies of people who have absolutely no idea what they're doing, are stringing for teeny, tiny news outlets paying them pennies and who place themselves in harm's way and expect their government, or families, or news outlets (who don't think enough of them to actually put them on staff and thereby take some responsibility for them) to come rescue them.

We've all met them while we're out on assignment, shrugged off their hopeless newbie-ness and moved on with our own work. But it's one thing in Brooklyn, quite another in Baghdad.

This question of credentialing and clips is a fair question, for a number of reasons. Even the most seasoned, savvy and prepared of journalists - and photographers and cameramen - can face very real danger when reporting overseas, as The Wall Street Journal's Daniel Pearl and The New York Times' David Rhode found out. Those backed by the money, power and arguable political clout of a major media organization can afford, and pay thousands of dollars to, their fixers, interpreters, bodyguards, people who know the local territory, customs and can usually read the signs of danger. The rest are on their own, to their own detriment, as Lindhout discovered.

Kelly goes on to outline the conundrum facing young, aspiring and ambitious would-be journalists who want to jump into the industry with both feet:

Someone like Lindhout, who hungered for adventure and clips like hundreds of others have done before her, had no journalism training, few clips, little prep and no such institutional backup. It's scary, and difficult, enough with that backup.

The grey area comes from the fact that many of today's most accomplished journalists got their start by throwing themselves into the world's hot spots. Of course, for every Anderson Cooper (who forged a press pass and snuck his way into Burma to make his name in journalism), there are dozens if not more who tried something similar without success.

So is it fair to tell would-be journalists to leave the dangerous reporting to the veterans when so few of those veterans still have jobs? (And even those veterans who do still have work are questioning their decision to report in dangerous areas, as this freelancer for CBC is now doing after having her jaw broken by a rock in Israel).

If there are no staff foreign correspondents, and young freelancers steer clear of dangerous zones, who will tell these stories that are crucial to international journalism?

Perhaps the answer will lie in local journalists who know the lay of the land, blend in with the local population, understand social, political and cultural norms and possess journalism skills. News wires are increasingly relying on local reporters, some of whom are then able to rise through the ranks of the agency. For media outlets that want coverage from a dangerous hot spot but can't get their own reporters in, they may increasingly consider local journalists over novice freelancers.

Previous coverage of local-journalists-as-foreign-correspondents:

In telling Somalia's story, local journalists risk all

Devoid of foreign reporters, local journalists tell Gaza's story

Can a YouTube channel help local journalists reach international audiences?

Will western media cutbacks mean opportunity for journalists in developing countries?

The retreat of traditional media