Sixty-nine journalists were killed on the job this year.
A report released Tuesday by the Committee to Protect Journalists says at least 28 of them were killed by Islamic militant groups, including al-Qaeda and ISIS.
Those killed include eight journalists slain during an attack at the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris in January.
Thirteen journalists were killed in Syria this year, which is down from the past three years.
While some of the deaths were among reporters in conflict zones, others were killed after reporting on sensitive topics, including a Brazilian radio anchor killed during a broadcast of his show in October. Seventeen reporters were killed in combat areas or by crossfire this year.
The New York-based group has been tracking deaths among reporters and broadcasters since 1992.