Press Freedom Index world rankings: USA in 53rd place

2006-10-25 09:48:29

#1

The_Shipbuilder: Stay the corpse; +261|6773|Los Angeles

An excerpt from the full report:

Reporters Without Borders wrote:
The United States (53rd) has fallen nine places since last year, after being in 17th position in the first year of the Index, in 2002. Relations between the media and the Bush administration sharply deteriorated after the president used the pretext of “national security” to regard as suspicious any journalist who questioned his “war on terrorism.” The zeal of federal courts which, unlike those in 33 US states, refuse to recognise the media’s right not to reveal its sources, even threatens journalists whose investigations have no connection at all with terrorism.

Freelance journalist and blogger Josh Wolf was imprisoned when he refused to hand over his video archives. Sudanese cameraman Sami al-Haj, who works for the pan-Arab broadcaster Al-Jazeera, has been held without trial since June 2002 at the US military base at Guantanamo, and Associated Press photographer Bilal Hussein has been held by US authorities in Iraq since April this year.

At #53, USA is tied with such bastions of free thought as Botswana, Croatia, and Tonga. Other countries with brighter beacons of liberty than the USA: Estonia, Latvia, Bolivia, Benin, Namibia, Mauritius, Ghana, and Panama. Not to mention the vast majority of the industrialized world. North Korea ranks dead last.

All those who consider the United States to be the freest country on earth might want to rethink their positions.

Full rankings. Highlights are mine. Please, if you're going to quote the OP, don't quote the whole thing.

N° Country Score
1 Finland 0,50
- Iceland 0,50
- Ireland 0,50
- Netherlands 0,50
5 Czech Republic 0,75
6 Estonia 2,00
- Norway 2,00
8 Slovakia 2,50
- Switzerland 2,50
10 Hungary 3,00
- Latvia 3,00
- Portugal 3,00
- Slovenia 3,00
14 Belgium 4,00
- Sweden 4,00
16 Austria 4,50
- Bolivia 4,50
- Canada 4,50
19 Bosnia and Herzegovina 5,00
- Denmark 5,00
- New Zealand 5,00
- Trinidad and Tobago 5,00
23 Benin 5,50
- Germany 5,50
- Jamaica 5,50
26 Namibia 6,00
27 Lithuania 6,50
- United Kingdom 6,50
29 Costa Rica 6,67
30 Cyprus 7,50
31 South Korea 7,75
32 Greece 8,00
- Mauritius 8,00
34 Ghana 8,50
35 Australia 9,00
- Bulgaria 9,00
- France 9,00
- Mali 9,00
39 Panama 9,50
40 Italy 9,90
41 El Salvador 10,00
- Spain 10,00
43 Taiwan 10,50
44 South Africa 11,25
45 Cape Verde 11,50
- Macedonia 11,50
- Mozambique 11,50
- Serbia and Montenegro 11,50
49 Chile 11,63
50 Israel 12,00
51 Japan 12,50
52 Dominican Republic 12,75
53 Botswana 13,00
- Croatia 13,00
- Tonga 13,00
- United States of America 13,00
57 Uruguay 13,75
58 Fiji 14,00
- Hong-Kong 14,00
- Poland 14,00
- Romania 14,00
62 Central African Republic 14,50
- Cyprus (North) 14,50
- Guinea-Bissau 14,50
- Honduras 14,50
66 Madagascar 15,00
- Togo 15,00
68 Ecuador 15,25
69 Nicaragua 15,50
70 Burkina Faso 16,00
- Kosovo 16,00
- Lesotho 16,00
73 Congo 17,00
- Kuwait 17,00
75 Brazil 17,17
76 Argentina 17,30
77 Mauritania 17,50
- Senegal 17,50
- United Arab Emirates 17,50
80 Albania 18,00
- Qatar 18,00
82 Paraguay 18,25
83 Timor-Leste 18,50
84 Liberia 19,00
85 Moldova 19,17
86 Mongolia 19,25
87 Haiti 19,50
88 Tanzania 19,82
89 Georgia 21,00
90 Guatemala 21,25
91 Angola 21,50
92 Malaysia 22,25
93 Comoros 22,50
- Zambia 22,50
95 Niger 24,50
- Seychelles 24,50
97 Morocco 24,83
98 Bhutan 25,00
- Côte d’Ivoire 25,00
- Turkey 25,00
101 Armenia 25,50
- Malawi 25,50
103 Indonesia 26,00
- Sierra Leone 26,00
105 India 26,50
- Ukraine 26,50
107 Lebanon 27,00
108 Cambodia 27,25
109 Guinea 27,50
- Jordan 27,50
111 Bahrein 28,00
112 Cameroon 28,25
- Peru 28,25
114 Gabon 28,50
115 Venezuela 29,00
116 Uganda 29,83
117 Tajikistan 30,00
118 Kenya 30,25
119 United States of America (extra-territorial) 31,50
120 Nigeria 32,23
121 Djibouti 33,00
122 Thailand 33,50
123 Kyrgyzstan 34,00
124 Chad 35,50
125 Burundi 39,83
126 Algeria 40,00
127 Swaziland 40,50
128 Kazakhstan 41,00
- Rwanda 41,00
130 Afghanistan 44,25
131 Colombia 44,75
132 Mexico 45,83
133 Egypt 46,25
134 Palestinian Authority 46,75
135 Azerbaijan 47,00
- Israel (extra-territorial) 47,00
137 Bangladesh 48,00
- Equatorial Guinea 48,00
139 Sudan 48,13
140 Zimbabwe 50,00
141 Sri Lanka 50,75
142 Democratic Republic of Congo 51,00
- Philippines 51,00
144 Maldives 51,25
- Somalia 51,25
146 Singapore 51,50
147 Russia 52,50
148 Tunisia 53,75
149 Gambia 54,00
- Yemen 54,00
151 Belarus 57,00
152 Libya 62,50
153 Syria 63,00
154 Iraq 66,83
155 Vietnam 67,25
156 Laos 67,50
157 Pakistan 70,33
158 Uzbekistan 71,00
159 Nepal 73,50
160 Ethiopia 75,00
161 Saudi Arabia 76,00
162 Iran 90,88
163 China 94,00
164 Burma 94,75
165 Cuba 95,00
166 Eritrea 97,50
167 Turkmenistan 98,50
168 North Korea 109,00

2006-10-25 09:59:47

#2

sergeriver: Cowboy from Hell; +1,928|7030|Argentina

Argentina only 76? I thought it would be worse, I mean with the amazing asshole president we have and his lame attitude against the press (the non biased press).

2006-10-25 10:00:24

#3

Sh1fty2k5: MacSwedish; +113|6982|Sweden

Very interesting. You'll probably find all countries actively involved with "The war on terror" in the mid section, like Denmark and Israel.

2006-10-25 10:13:54

#4

SpaceApollyon: Scratch where it itches; +41|6792|Finland

Now why would you highlight Sweden at 4.00 and not FINLAND at 0.50?
We are SO ahead of the swedes!
LOL, SO offtopic.

2006-10-25 10:14:11

#5

[RDH]Warlord: Quakecon Attendee; +17|6931|SLC, Utah, USA

Indeed, very interesting.

Not sure what the X,XX numbers mean, but I suppose lower is better. Is that the number of "press freedom" violations?

2006-10-25 10:18:45

#6

IRONCHEF: Member; +385|6763|Northern California

Ok, so our press isn't the "freest." But at least we can feel safe and sound in our homes, on the phone, on the internet, and not have our privacy invaded or be taken from our homes and imprisoned without charges...oh wait, we don't enjoy those freedoms anymore either. But at least we can petition our captors for our false imprisonment...oh wait, can't do that either. Aha! At least we can freely assemble and peacefully protest..oh wait, that's gone too..at least when Bush isn't in town driving around.

I was expecting to be near 100...53 ain't that bad... *puts gun to head*

2006-10-25 10:18:46

#7

Sh1fty2k5: MacSwedish; +113|6982|Sweden

SpaceApollyon wrote:
Now why would you highlight Sweden at 4.00 and not FINLAND at 0.50?
We are SO ahead of the swedes!
LOL, SO offtopic.

That's because we allow you to have freedom of press. Remember, Finland is still Sweden, unofficially.
We'll invade if you start making a mess

2006-10-25 10:20:52

#8

The_Shipbuilder: Stay the corpse; +261|6773|Los Angeles

[RDH]Warlord wrote:
Indeed, very interesting.

Not sure what the X,XX numbers mean, but I suppose lower is better. Is that the number of "press freedom" violations?

There is a link to the report in the original post.

2006-10-25 10:22:15

#9

Varegg: Support fanatic :-); +2,206|7082|Nårvei

Norway ranks 6th ....

Wait behind the line ..............................................................

2006-10-25 10:25:53

#10

Bertster7: Confused Pothead; +1,101|6854|SE London

Sh1fty2k5 wrote:
Very interesting. You'll probably find all countries actively involved with "The war on terror" in the mid section, like Denmark and Israel.

Have you read the OP?

Many countries actively involved in the war on terror come a lot lower than the mid section; UK, Canada and Australia are all very low down the list.

I find it funny that the US have less freedom of press than Israel.

2006-10-25 10:26:14

#11

apollo_fi: The Flying Kalakukko.; +94|6803|The lunar module

Finland, Finland, Finland
The country where I want to be
Pony trekking or camping
Or just watching TV
Finland, Finland, Finland
It's the country for me

2006-10-25 10:26:55

#12

SpaceApollyon: Scratch where it itches; +41|6792|Finland

Sh1fty2k5 wrote:
Very interesting. You'll probably find all countries actively involved with "The war on terror" in the mid section, like Denmark and Israel.

I believe so too. Denmarks score was also affected hugely by the threats made against those cartoonist assosiated with the Muhammad "scandal". They were number 1 last year and now number 19!

Sh1fty2k5 wrote:
That's because we allow you to have freedom of press. Remember, Finland is still Sweden, unofficially

2006-10-25 11:04:06

#13

cpt.fass1: The Cap'n Can Make it Hap'n; +329|6968|NJ

The really funny thing about this ranking, is that when you read all the right wingers view points we always hear how liberal our media is. Haha

2006-10-25 11:07:37

#14

Hallucinogen: Member; +2|7119|Finland

I'm free as a bird in cage.

2006-10-25 11:11:15

#15

RDMC: Enemy Wheelbarrow Spotted..!!; +736|6837|Area 51

w00t! Netherlands partly first Well now people might want to consider this before saying that America the most free country off all

2006-10-25 11:13:02

#16

Doctor Strangelove: Real Battlefield Veterinarian.; +1,758|6740

Ireland #3. Impressive, I thought it would be lower.

Last edited by doctastrangelove1964 (2006-10-25 11:18:19)

2006-10-25 12:14:18

#17

Kmar: Truth is my Bitch; +5,695|6873|132 and Bush

Wow it's french based, who would have thought(Reporters Without Borders). Those fuckers wouldn't have any borders if it wasn't for the US.
If you don't think the US has freedom of the press you are either under the influence of some kind of controlled substance or just delusional. The NY times rips this administration a new one every day. They published classified information for Christ sake.

Last edited by Kmarion (2006-10-25 12:16:23)

Xbone Stormsurgezz

2006-10-25 12:17:18

#18

DonFck: Hibernator; +3,227|6904|Finland

*cough* Check out N^o1... *cough*

Last edited by DonFck (2006-10-25 12:17:47)

I need around tree fiddy.

2006-10-25 12:21:28

#19

Viller-Valle: Svensk Tiger; +15|6700|Sweden

Sh1fty2k5 wrote:
SpaceApollyon wrote:
Now why would you highlight Sweden at 4.00 and not FINLAND at 0.50?
We are SO ahead of the swedes!
LOL, SO offtopic.
That's because we allow you to have freedom of press. Remember, Finland is still Sweden, unofficially.
We'll invade if you start making a mess

Haha, say no more, or we'll be blow into the air by the superior Finnish army. They have an army, we don't Thank the Finnish for keeping the border at east or, they kept the border. Let's hope it won't be necessary no more.
Hmm, 4.00, what gives us that high score?

2006-10-25 12:22:27

#20

znozer: Viking fool - Crazy SWE; +162|6817|Sverige (SWE)

Nice to See the Scandinavians is on the top.....

2006-10-25 12:23:16

#21

DonFck: Hibernator; +3,227|6904|Finland

znozer wrote:
Nice to See the Scandinavians is on the top.....

Would you expect anything else?

I need around tree fiddy.

2006-10-25 12:23:53

#22

IRONCHEF: Member; +385|6763|Northern California

Isn't finland up in the north pole? Isn't that were all the hackers come from? Do they even have internets and news to manipulate in their igloos?

2006-10-25 12:24:56

#23

Viller-Valle: Svensk Tiger; +15|6700|Sweden

DonFck wrote:
znozer wrote:
Nice to See the Scandinavians is on the top.....
Would you expect anything else?

That would be a fail.

2006-10-25 12:26:34

#24

Viller-Valle: Svensk Tiger; +15|6700|Sweden

IRONCHEF wrote:
Isn't finland up in the north pole? Isn't that were all the hackers come from? Do they even have internets and news to manipulate in their igloos?

Hehe, ok. polar bears and penguins... Think I've seen one in zoo in Denmark... (I've heard Norway have a hacker worth telling )

Last edited by Viller-Valle (2006-10-25 12:26:54)

2006-10-25 12:28:24

#25

IRONCHEF: Member; +385|6763|Northern California

Its cool, us dumb americans also think Canadians live in igloos and never see sunlight.

BF2S Forums Press Freedom Index world rankings: USA in 53rd place

Reporters Without Borders wrote:

SpaceApollyon wrote:

[RDH]Warlord wrote:

Sh1fty2k5 wrote:

Sh1fty2k5 wrote:

Sh1fty2k5 wrote:

Sh1fty2k5 wrote:

SpaceApollyon wrote:

znozer wrote:

DonFck wrote:

znozer wrote:

IRONCHEF wrote:

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