Blog Reports Iraq Stories Others Can't

July 5, 2007 — -- It's no secret that the number of American and Western journalists reporting from Iraq has dropped.

In 2003, when the war in Iraq began, reporters traveled the country, bringing Americans at home a broad range of stories. But as the war escalated, and more than 100 journalists were killed, their ability to travel safely and interact with Iraqi citizens grew increasingly difficult.

Filmmakers Brian Conley and Steve Wyshywaniuk noticed the shift in coverage and decided to do something about it. They started Alive in Baghdad, a video blogging Web site that strives to tell the stories the Western media often can't because of security concerns.

"If you watch most news channels, they talk about Iraqis. They don't talk to Iraqis. And when they do talk to Iraqis, they talk very briefly," Wyshywaniuk told ABC's Bob Woodruff.

From their offices in Philadelphia, Wyshywaniuk and Conley dispatch cameras to Iraqi journalists based in Baghdad and Syria who go out to shoot the stories that make up the site.

Alive in Baghdad's stories are about everyday Iraqis living the war -- not just the military and political leaders running it. Recent entries have included middle school girls in Baghdad struggling to complete their studies, a taxi driver waiting 12 hours for gasoline, and concerned Iraqi husbands and fathers organizing a neighborhood night watch program.

Alive in Baghdad attracts about 15,000 visitors a month. The site's popularity is growing as its journalists uncover stories in places others can't reach.

"They know who to talk to," Conley said about Alive in Baghdad's Iraqi journalists. "They know who the leaders are in the community, they know who to check themselves with for safety or security."