Ireland ranks 17th in World Press Freedom

national | anti-war / imperialism | news report

Thursday October 23, 2003 11:17

by redjade

Report from
Reporters Without Borders
http://www.rsf.org

Reporters Without Borders
http://www.rsf.org

'Reporters Without Borders' is publishing its second world press freedom ranking. As in 2002, the most catastrophic situation is to be found in Asia, especially North Korea, Burma and Laos. Second from last in the ranking, Cuba is today the world's biggest prison for journalists. The United States and Italy were given relatively low rankings.''

[....]

''Special situation of the United States and Israel The ranking distinguishes behaviour at home and abroad in the cases of the United States and Israel. They are ranked in 31st and 44th positions respectively as regards respect for freedom of expression on their own territory, but they fall to the 135th and 146th positions as regards behaviour beyond their borders.''

- more info at http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=8247

''European Union gets good rankings, except Italy and Spain Italy received a poor ranking (53rd) compared with the other European Union countries for the second year running. Silvio Berlusconi's conflict of interests as head of government and owner of a media empire is still unresolved. Furthermore, a draft law to reform radio and TV broadcasting, tailored to Berlusconi's interests, is likely to increase the threats to news diversity in Italy.''

- more info at http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=8247

Ranking:
No. Country
1 Finland
- Iceland
- Netherlands
- Norway
5 Denmark
- Trinidad and Tobago
7 Belgium
8 Germany
9 Sweden
10 Canada
11 Latvia
12 Czech Republic
- Estonia
- Slovakia
- Switzerland
16 Austria
17 Ireland
- Lithuania
- New Zealand
20 Slovenia
21 Hungary
- Jamaica
- South Africa
24 Costa Rica
25 Uruguay
26 France
27 United Kingdom
28 Portugal
29 Benin
30 Timor-Leste
31 Greece
- United States of America (American territory)

How the ranking was compiled
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=8248

- - - - -

US Media Related:

Project Censored 2004:
The Top 25 Censored Media Stories of 2002-2003 (US Media)
http://www.projectcensored.org/publications/2004/index.html

Curtains Ordered for Media Coverage of Returning Coffins

''In March, on the eve of the Iraq war, a directive arrived from the Pentagon at U.S. military bases. "There will be no arrival ceremonies for, or media coverage of, deceased military personnel returning to or departing from Ramstein [Germany] airbase or Dover [Del.] base, to include interim stops," the Defense Department said, referring to the major ports for the returning remains.''
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A55816-2003Oct20?language=printer

Comments (1 of 1)

strange to think

by ;-) - not impersonation

Tue Sep 28, 2004 18:53

that only 44 years ago, the first of six novels, of the "mills and boons" type, (still an emerging genre at that time) were placed on the censorship list of Ireland where they remained for many years.

O'Brien's 1960 novel, The Country Girls about teenagers who left their rural villages for the wickedness of Dublin and London, defined her as one of Ireland's most controversial writers. Her first six novels were banned in her homeland and copies were burnt in the churchyard of the village where she grew up.

Ireland then preferred the eternal and non sexual pubescence of a young Rosemary Scanlon who sporting a pagan name sang her way to first European prominence.

O'Brien's mordent and fluid style wa to influence a generation of Londoners who in turn built the modern book industry by quick global turnoever sales. The "fast seller" had been born.

Meanwhile, in Ireland not only were her books burnt, but countless effigies of the goddess Dana as sheila na gig were smashed.

This was "your father's land".