United States Ranked 36th In The World For Press Freedom

The United States is ranked 36th in the world in terms of press freedom, up from 48th last year, according to a report released Wednesday by Reporters Sans Frontieres.

The US is tied with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cape Verde, South Africa, Spain, and Taiwan in the 36th spot. Iceland, Luxembourg, and Norway are tied for first. Iran, China, Vietnam, Cuba, and North Korea are all featured among the ten lowest-ranked countries.

According to the survey, the index "measures the state of press freedom in the world. It reflects the degree of freedom that journalists and news organisations enjoy in each country, and the efforts made by the authorities to respect and ensure respect for this freedom."

The ranking examines "every kind of violation directly affecting journalists (such as murders, imprisonment, physical attacks and threats) and news media (censorship, confiscation of newspaper issues, searches and harassment). And it includes the degree of impunity enjoyed by those responsible for these press freedom violations."

Self-censorship, financial pressure, the legal framework of the media, and the level of independence of the public media are also taken into account.

The report explains the United States' rise from 48th to 36th:

The release of Al-Jazeera cameraman Sami Al-Haj after six years in the Guantanamo Bay military base contributed to this improvement. Although the absence of a federal "shield law" means the confidentiality of sources is still threatened by federal courts, the number of journalists being subpoenaed or forced to reveal their sources has declined in recent months and none has been sent to prison. But the August 2007 murder of Oakland Post editor Chauncey Bailey in Oakland, California, is still unpunished a year later. The way the investigation into his murder has become enmeshed in local conflicts of interest and the lack of federal judicial intervention also help to explain why the United States did not get a higher ranking. Account was also taken of the many arrests of journalists during the Democratic and Republican conventions.

View the entire index below:

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A note on the survey's methodology:

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Comments

[tsloan]

wahoo......USA USA USA

[ckinsobe]

Speaking of the world:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbBzEkXyu4o

Wonderful Obama around the world video

and for good measure back here at home:

http://www.dvonkessel.com/obama?deff5910Obama

[TessyRenberg]

Thanks so much for linking this! Made me cry :)

[Cunningham]

OMG! Thanks for the AWESOME video links!

These are going to everyone on my email list.

OBAMA-BIDEN!

[Daniboy]

All you concerned Libs should move to Iceland? I kinda like Florida more. I hear you have to give up the Bermuda Shorts in Iceland. Give up one freedom for another.

[tsloan]

Like many others, I have grown tired of this love it or leave it attitude that does not allow for differing opinions on matters...unless Bush has called for martial law....we still have freedom of speech, for now.

[Daniboy]

I thought you wanted to leave-this is such a terrible country.

[Mikecoatl]

You are like that awful woman in Congress calling for the anti-American witch hunt. Your ilk represents everything that is wrong with America, yet you wrap yourself in the flag like a coward. Go to Hell.

[fussygorilla]

Hey Daniboy:
You can stay in your isolated and ignorant shell. Liberal is wonderful term for well-educated, well-informed Americans who dismiss the ignorants' opinions like yours and that may be why you use the term as if there is something wrong with it. It is not.
2. Instead of us "going to Iceland' we will make America more like Iceland by learning a thing or two from them as to how to be a truly democratic and fair and just society which Ameirca is not.

[Daniboy]

Free press be very concerned-if Chicago politicion Obama gets in-much less coverage-only good news or no news!

[tsloan]

tro// alert.

[timberdoodle]

This is not news as it's common knowledge outside of the U.S. that America ranks between 28th and 50th in almost all categories where countries are compared in all categories. Obviously these facts are for the most part kept away from the public's eyes. Good and honest journalism would gather all these rankings on all categories and let the people see where their country fits in with the rest of the world then maybe change would be a necessity.

[vegas9999]

I just cannot figure out why so many people want to come here. My God, I had no idea that we were in the same class as South Africa? I guess those Michael Moore movies do work.

[Dynamohum]

Where is Edward R. Murrow when we need him? The closest we have today is Rachell Maddox and Keith Olberman, speaking truth to power.

[Dynamohum]

Rachel Maddow, oops.

[Johnjlws]

Now this is truly an embarrassment.

[DorkimusMaximus]

Japan is higher than the United States?

Bet nobody who issued that report ever heard of the Japanese "press clubs".

[11907281]

I bet they do since it's their business to look in to all aspects of the media, baseless accusations against the people who did the investigating with not help Americas ranking ... I actually think people like you have helped justify it.

[DorkimusMaximus]

Yes, because I'm a journalist.

Good thinking on that one.

[Susej]

No one is willing to admit it but when the media is owned by corporations that got rich doing business ni other sectors, it's only normal that they control the flow of the news as they see fit or as it fits their interests and the interests of their buddies.
The result is selective journalism and auto-censorship.
Case in point: F0X Nuisance.
Another major factor affecting the truth in journalism is the money generated from the ads.
Advertisers with big budget have leverage on the media through "soft" threats and financial blackmailing.

[tomas0808]

Yeah, here it's more deregulation and the corporate influence that affects the free press. Deregulation allows media monopolies hence restricting differing voices their abilities to be heard. Corporate influence wants entertainment, not real news. Add them up and you get O'Reilly and Hannity

[string-em-up]

You even get blocked messages here

[totalliberal]

Yes when I get carried away and abusive. You're point?

[Ironfox]

The point is, that this is not always the case. Often the deletions seem arbitrary and illogical.

[Hirnlego]

Bah, a lot of what I have written are hardly abusive... some viewpoints are simply not tolerated here...
So far close to 100 posts deleted...

[Susej]

I counted at least 4 African nations ahead of us.
I am not belittling them, but many of us think we should give them lessons about Journalism.

[netzwerg]

other rankings we're just as 'GREAT' - infant mortality, longevity, suicide rates, uninsured, murder rate, incarceration etc... America # 1

[biding4brilliance]

If we beat Japan on the suicide rate, I'd be surprised. We do have a lot of work to do, though, if we're going to be truly the greatest.

[Budokan]

36th? Frankly, I'm amazed it's that high.

[tomas0808]

Me too. Norway, country of my parents, is #1. If they steal this election too that's where I'm headed. And I ain't comin back.

[ckinsobe]

Jag reser tillbalks till Sverige!
(Min far var Norsk!)

[kyeshinka]

Everyone knows that Reporters Without Borders is a blame-America, communitst, pro-abortion group who's in bed with al-Qaida. (sarcasm off). This is disgusting, though not surprising after seeing how Denver and St. Paul reacted after a minor demonstration. I wouldn't be surprised if there are still journalists sitting in those cells.

[ckinsobe]

Most of the country does'nt know about the arrests I believe.

I moved here in 1985 after living in Spain and Sweden. I can tell you that the #1 complaint from European citizens when they arrive in the US is the horrible quality of the NEWS. In the European countries news is much more serious and often demands more knowledge from its viewers regarding world and national events. The stuff of headlines here, such as murders, violent attacks and celebrity scandals is, both in the UK, Sweden and Spain, relegated to the back pages of morning papers or to the more sleazy "afternoon"papers.

It is hard to understand for anyone that is used to seeing news coverage of the entire world back home to watch the insular light weight stuff over here and feel "satisfied".

Interviewers hardly ever challenge their subjects, investigative journalism isn't, stories about other countries are only reported when the US is at war with them or there is some natural disaster there. It is not a coincidence that most Americans know practically nothing about the rest of the world.

The question is: Does the media dumb down people or are people too dumb for better quality media? Certainly having corporations demanding ratings of news shows is of little help in bringing up the quality.

Lastly, much as I love this site, it has no INTERNATIONAL section, thus continuing the insular, self centered US style of news reporting.

[fussygorilla]

CKinsobe

Exactly. Just travel and live for a while outside of the U.S. and you will see why U.S. media(very generously) is ranked 36. It should be the last based on its claims of the freedom of the press.