We're now ranked #53 in the Freedom of Press Index tied w/Botswana & Tonga

[kerry-is-my-prez]

and below Bulgaria, El Salvador, South Africa, Macedonia, Mozambique, Serbia and Montenegro and the Dominican Republic.

http://www.rsf.org/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=639

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

[pitohui]

1. very interesting

t&t (trinidad and tobago) is a cool little country with lots of oil for their size, i'm impressed they're ranked just under new zealand -- and way above usa!

[LynnTheDem]

2. We're #53! We're #53!

RAH RAH RAH!!!

Spreadin' that thar freedumb write hear in the good ol US of A!

[Erika]

3. W and his state approved Faux/Pravda has killed freedom

of the press in America.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

4. We've gone waaay down every year also...

In 2002 (the first year it came out) we were #17
and were at 4,75 (lower is better).

[kerry-is-my-prez]

6. To me this has gotta be one of the most serious issues that there is.

That and the treatment of detainees and the loss of habeas corpus.

[caledesi]

7. Isn't Free Press the hallmark of Democracy? nt

[valerief]

5. Hear that whirring sound? It's our forefathers spinning in their graves. nt

[Erika]

8. W Bushbots who watch only Faux

are already in hell.

[Nite Owl]

9. Try to look at this positively

We're still ahead of Russia, China and Cuba. It could be worse.
:sarcasm:

Unfortunately it probably will be unless the dems get in and do something about it.

[darkism]

10. A big part of this...

...is Judy Miller being thrown in jail for refusing to reveal her source of Plame's name.

Something DUers seemed all too happy about.

Point is, whether or not she was a cheerleader for the war and whether or not she kept Rove's sorry ass out of jail is not the issue. The covenant between a reporter and a source is among the holiest things in journalism.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

11. One Jounalist being thrown in jail does not affect the rating that much.

n/t

[BelgianMadCow]

12. must be a coalition of the willing

[kerry-is-my-prez]

13. All of the countries who were in our "coalition" have also fallen dramatically

The UK, Austrialia, etc.

[elehhhhna]

14. U-S-A! U-S-A! We're Number 53! Or 54. Or 55. Or 56!!! U-S-A!

[AlamoDemoc]

15. I noticed some third world countries on the list

#16 Bolivia
#32 Mauritius
#34 Ghana

That's good news! :kick:

[mom cat]

16. We are at the bottom of the barrel! Hello Pravda!

[karynnj]

17. This is sad

we need a free press!