The phenomenon of 24-hour global coverage of world events has arguably made it more difficult for journalists to remain true to the deontology of their profession. At the same time, humanitarians are at pains to defend the concept of neutral independent action in armed conflicts that have global reverberations. Moral dilemma is often the order of the day for those who have to report on increasingly complex emergencies in war zones or to attempt to alleviate the suffering of victims. With examples from recent conflicts, this article asks whether there are ways in which journalists and humanitarians can contribute to saving lives.