WASHINGTON, 20.04.2017. – Freedom House invites all interested parties to join the launch of the latest edition of Freedom of the Press, our landmark report monitoring press freedom worldwide.
Press freedom is down globally to the lowest level in 13 years, in part because of what is happening in authoritarian countries – such as Russia and China – and worrisome trends in several democracies, including the United States. The global picture is dark with fewer than one in seven people living in countries with a free press, with no meaningful coverage of politics, fear for journalists’ safety, and governments attempting to rig coverage.
Especially troubling is the decline in the United States. The U.S. has served as the most important model for other countries’ protection of free speech and press freedoms. When political leaders criticize individual journalists and media outlets, or decry journalism’s duty to hold elected officials accountable for their actions, American leaders encourage their international counterparts to do the same.
For more information about the event see here.
