Press Freedom Ratings For The United States Calculated By Reporters Without Borders
Why the U.S. ranks low #55 in press freedom index despite all its principles?
“The World Press Freedom Index (WPFI) is an annual ranking of countries compiled and published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) since 2002 based upon the organization’s own assessment of the countries’ press freedom records in the previous year.”
“RSF lobbies governments and international bodies to adopt standards and legislation in support of media freedom and takes legal action in defence of journalists under threat.” (Wikipedia)
Reporters Without Borders ranks all countries in the world and is comprised of these major Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) factors:
- Global
- Political
- Economic
- Legislative
- Socialcultural
- Security
Norway has the best Scores (2024):
- Global 1
- Political 1
- Economic1
- Legislative 2
- Socialcultural 1
- Security 7
USA scores (2024):
- Global 55
- Political. 29
- Economic 33
- Legislative 41
- Socialcultural 54
- Security. 118
USA’s princable RSF score is #55 in the Global category.
Norway has the best score: Top ranking #1 for RSF Global category.
The press freedom political indicator evaluates the degree of support and respect for media and can be found here: https://rsf.org/en/index/score-pol?year=2024
RSF world map and country ratings is explained here: https://rsf.org/en/country/united-states
Some Examples:
- In September 2022, Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Jeff German was stabbed to death by a politician he was investigating.
- Dylan Lyons, a reporter for Spectrum News 13 in Orlando, Florida, was himself shot while covering a shooting in February 2023.
- When covering demonstrations, journalists are sometimes attacked and physically assaulted by demonstrators.
- Several reporters have also been arrested while covering such events.
- In 2022, at least 67 journalists and media workers were killed, the highest since 2018
- Investigative reporter Don Bolles was injured in a 1976 car bomb attack. He died 11 days after the explosion
- On June 28, 2018 5 Capital Gazette staffers died after a gunman entered the building. 6 others inside the newsroom survived by fleeing or hiding from him.
Posted and updated: 8-23-2024. Posted by: Score Card