Reporters Without Borders Criticizes Press Freedom in U.S.

[ASsman]

Reporters Without Borders Criticizes Press Freedom in U.S.
The international journalist group Reporters Without Borders has issued its annual report on press freedom. The U.S. now ranks 22nd in press freedom among the world's countries. The report criticized the U.S. on a number of grounds including "violations of source confidentiality, persistent problems in granting press visas and the arrest of several journalists during anti-Bush demonstrations." The study also determined that Iraq had become "the most deadly place on Earth for journalists." Meanwhile in Iraq, gunmen have killed an Iraqi newsreader who worked at the Al Sharqiya television station in Baghdad. He husband was murdered two months ago. The motive for her killing was not clear

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/10/29/1414213

[Ace42]

I don't think RSF's ranking was particularly meaningful to people outside of the industry, though. For example, UK was 28th with the note that the particularly low ranking was almost exclusively due to "reporters being intimidated by paramilitaries in Northern Ireland" including the lack of progress into an investigation of a journalist believed murdered by the IRA.

Spain had a similar footnote due to ETA.

Personally, I do not think that says a lot about the media being biased or corrupt, which is what almost all of the worst scoring nations (160th positions!) were accused of. Reporting from a warzone is by nature dangerous. That doesn't men the press have "less freedom" per sé.

[ASsman]

I'm not sure but I think its being more critical of the US military.