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I always find it instructive to view these reports at the source. I developed this habit in 2018, when Reporters Without Borders (who maintain the Press Freedom Index you linked) published a report of the six most dangerous countries for journalists: India, Yemen, Mexico, Syria, Afghanistan, and of course the United States. When I read the report, it described how in Mexico journalists are executed by cartels and organized crime, how journalists in Yemen die in prison due to mistreatment, how in Syria journalists were killed in airstrikes and taken hostage by Islamic militants, how in India Hindu nationalist mobs would run down journalists with trucks… and how in the US, six journalists were killed in one year: four murdered by a stalker angry at a 2011 story the newspaper had published (subsequently tried and found guilty of mass murder), and two killed by a falling tree. Being the midst of Donald Trump’s presidency, of course, there were headlines all over the United States: “Reporters Without Borders ranks US among most dangerous countries for journalists!”. The story was perfect clickbait, especially in that political environment. I’m not saying Reporters Without Borders is untrustworthy. But I’m skeptical of their rankings by default, because being overly pessimistic about the US is an easy way to get lots of attention. Here’s their report on the US’s ranking in the Press Freedom Index: https://rsf.org/en/country/united-states Issues it lists: • Many media outlets are owned by the wealthy • Donald Trump denigrated the press • Local news outlets are declining • Polarization of media • Section 230 debates • Julian Assange • Citizens don’t trust the media • Online harassment can harm journalists • Journalists face “an unprecedented climate of animosity and aggression during protests” I invite readers to compare these issues to the entries for other countries and judge whether they justify the US’s ranking in this list. |
[1] https://pressfreedomtracker.us/