ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- Journalists at the Capital-Gazette newspaper said they knew Time Magazine was working up a story on reporters in danger, but they had no idea they were about to be collectively named "Person of the Year" until social media blew up Tuesday morning.
"We did the photo shoot on Sunday just thinking it was a story on journalism and, you know, the violence," said Photographer Paul Gillespie.
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Gillespie said he was "blown away by it" when saw tweets on his phone when he woke up Tuesday morning.
But Gillespie and the rest of the staff at the Annapolis Capital-Gazette reminded interviewers that the honor was not about them as much as about the 5 who were killed when a gunman attacked the newspaper's offices on June 28.
Rob Hiaasen, Wendi Winters, Gerald Fischman, Rebecca Smith and John McNamera where murdered in the attack.
"I think about this every day," said editor Rick Hutzell as his voice hesitated. "Coming to work is the best honor I can give to my friends."
Reporter Rachael Pachella said anti-media rhetoric has become dangerous. "I feel strongly the president needs to stop calling the media the 'enemy of the people'. I feel he's putting people like me at risk when he does that," she said.
Time Magazine included the Capital-Gazette victims and survivors in a global group of "Person of the Year" journalists the magazine calls "The Guardians."
Other honored journalists include Washington Post contributor Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered by Saudi security operatives and journalists in Philippines and Asia who have been persecuted, jailed and threatened for documenting government abuses.
"What we do is seek truth and justice," said Hutzell who added that journalism is critical to the functioning of a free society.
