Press Freedom index, DR 52nd, USA 53rd

qgrande · #1 10-24-2006, 10:43 AM

Reporters without Borders just published it's annual World Press Freedom Index (Reporters sans frontières - Annual Worldwide Press Freedom Index - 2006). The Dominican Republic is ranked 52nd of the world, above the US at 53rd. (Haiti gets a special mentioning as fast climber compared to last year, but still only at 87th). What to make of that?

RHM · #2 10-24-2006, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by qgrande

Reporters without Borders just published it's annual World Press Freedom Index (Reporters sans frontières - Annual Worldwide Press Freedom Index - 2006). The Dominican Republic is ranked 52nd of the world, above the US at 53rd. (Haiti gets a special mentioning as fast climber compared to last year, but still only at 87th). What to make of that?

Press is the US is not censored by the government (see recent CNN videos of Al Queda snipers killing Americans). But some are censored and controlled tightly by their editors because, like it or not, they are money-making corporations and make decisions like companies...which is a whole other issue.

The fact that Michael Moore is still alive is proof that free speech and a free press are both alive and well. I don't buy this report. Just my two pesos.

EDITED TO INCLUDE: It's interesting how they describe the Al Jazeera cameraman being held at Guantanamo. He's just a "journalist"...who had the uncanny ability to already be in place for over a dozen suicide attacks on soldiers and innocent civilians before they happened. Good instincts, huh?

Scandall

aegap · #3 10-24-2006, 12:24 PM

Mega-dittos to Mr. Scandall

cobraboy · #4 10-24-2006, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aegap

Mega-dittos to Mr. Scandall

^^^Agreed.

Someone look at the "questions" that make up the survey and explain to me how the US can rank 53rd?

And notice who populates the bottom of the heap.

bilijou · #5 10-24-2006, 12:52 PM

There once was a time, when the reporters actually went out to the fields of war without military commanders reviewing what news will or will not be shipped to America. The images of death on the news every night triggered a peace movement. It was less about the reporters personal opinion and more about the facts.

Early on in the Iraq war, many would recall an incident with Geraldo. He published something that wasn’t approved and he was criticized by everyone for it. And this is the first glimpse many of us got of the chain of editors (military, governmental and civilian) every story had to go through before America could see it. In one day of watching the news outside the US, I saw more on this war than years of watching US news channel. The Iraq war has reached a crisis, ask anybody in this country if they’ve noticed. The Press aided the government in making people think that the war on Iraq was the war on Al-Quaida. Oh, how can we forget how the vice-President shot some guy in the face and the news took a few days to reach the public. And don’t get me started with Fox News. There might not be any explicit evidence showing the government’s influence over the press, but for those who can remember a Pre-9/11 America, it is a bit obvious.

The Dominican press is by far, much more free than the US’ (at least at the moment). Either the US should be higher on the list, or the DR lower.

Note: Michael Moore is not a reporter so he doesn’t fall into the “free press” category. On the contrary, I think he earned the title of “the person who was most bashed by the press in the past five years.” If anybody remembers his Bill O’Reilly incident…

Chris · #6 10-24-2006, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scandall

Press is the US is not censored by the government (see recent CNN videos of Al Queda snipers killing Americans).

Peace Scandall! Ever heard of embedded reporters? No, not censored, just slanted. Aargh man! you've got me going here. Of course the press is censored! It may be called editorial policy (by those who need to remain friends with the administration of the day)

aegap · #7 10-24-2006, 01:12 PM

Quote:

...of course the press is censored!

..as it should be.

RHM · #8 10-24-2006, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bilijou

Note: Michael Moore is not a reporter so he doesn’t fall into the “free press” category. On the contrary, I think he earned the title of “the person who was most bashed by the press in the past five years.” If anybody remembers his Bill O’Reilly incident…

Note: I used the words "free speech" when I referred to Moore.

DR press more free? That's your opinion. Personally, I think you are way off.

Scandall

RHM · #9 10-24-2006, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris

Peace Scandall! Ever heard of embedded reporters? No, not censored, just slanted. Aargh man! you've got me going here. Of course the press is censored! It may be called editorial policy (by those who need to remain friends with the administration of the day)

If that has "really got you going"...you must be having a slow day.

Predictably, this thread is going exactly where they usually go.

Go back to my post. It was pretty tame and I ended by stating it was only "my two pesos".

Scandall

aegap · #10 10-24-2006, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cobraboy

^^^Agreed.

Someone look at the "questions" that make up the survey and explain to me how the US can rank 53rd?

And notice who populates the bottom of the heap.

The press in the US has WAY more freedom than the press in DR may ever which to have.

(e.g.The Freedom of Information Act of 1966 may not be perfect, but does the DR have anything even remotely like it?)

..the restriction on the US press pale in comparison to those put on the UK press..

..reportes without border may have been influeneced by their bias