how free is the press where you live?

[miriam_e]

Reporters Without Borders has compiled a list of 168 countries and organised them according to how free the press is in those places.
See the list at: http://www.rsf.org/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=639

Most free are northern European countries Finland, Iceland, Ireland, and Netherlands which all have equally extremely free and open media. The Czech Republic is very close.

The UK is slipping badly, having dropped to tie with Lithuania for 27th position.

Australia is not doing very well at 35th position along with Bulgaria, France, and Mali.

Israel has nothing to be proud of at 50th.

Japan does far less well than I would have thought, at 51st.

Mainland USA is appalling at 53rd position, same as Botswana, Croatia, and Tonga, while extra-territorial USA is tragically at 119th.

Mexico is at 132nd, just above Egypt at 133rd.

Saudi Arabia -- the great middle east ally of the West is at the terrible 161st position.

North Korea is worst of all, at 168th.

Comments

Re: Correction to previous post

[miriam-e.livejournal.com]

Yes. It would be a difficult thing to assess. The questionaire seems like a good way to do it, even with its shortcomings, as you noted. I must admit didn't think of the effect of limits being tested or not. I guess the tendency to self-censor means that the press may well be less free than it appears, even when it gets a good score.