US Falls to 48th in World Press Freedom Rankings

[silverscreenselect]

Reporters without Borders released its annual Press Freedom Index, ranking countries by the degree of press freedom enjoyed. The US fell three places to 48th, in the "problematic" category, below those noted bastions of journalistic freedom Botswana, Chile, and Romania. Norway ranked first, followed by Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Denmark. In 180th and last place was Turkmenistan, just below Donald Trump's good buddy Kim Jung-Un's North Korea (China ranked 176). Reporters without Borders has compiled this index annually since 2002. The US ranked 41st in 2016, the last year before the Trump presidency.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/18/us/repor ... index.html

[Spock]

Reporters without Borders released its annual Press Freedom Index, ranking countries by the degree of press freedom enjoyed. The US fell three places to 48th, in the "problematic" category, below those noted bastions of journalistic freedom Botswana, Chile, and Romania. Norway ranked first, followed by Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Denmark. In 180th and last place was Turkmenistan, just below Donald Trump's good buddy Kim Jung-Un's North Korea (China ranked 176). Reporters without Borders has compiled this index annually since 2002. The US ranked 41st in 2016, the last year before the Trump presidency.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/18/us/repor ... index.html

I question their methodology when the big reason for the drop is based on a deranged stalker shooting up a newsroom that he had had past court dealings with involving the woman he was stalking.

>>>"The US joined the list of the most dangerous countries for journalists last year, following the shooting at the Capital Gazette in Maryland that killed five people.<<<<

Seems a bit of a reach to tie it to Trump and "Official Press Freedom"-But you do you.

[BackInTex]

Reporters without Borders released its annual Press Freedom Index, ranking countries by the degree of press freedom enjoyed. The US fell three places to 48th, in the "problematic" category, below those noted bastions of journalistic freedom Botswana, Chile, and Romania. Norway ranked first, followed by Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Denmark. In 180th and last place was Turkmenistan, just below Donald Trump's good buddy Kim Jung-Un's North Korea (China ranked 176). Reporters without Borders has compiled this index annually since 2002. The US ranked 41st in 2016, the last year before the Trump presidency.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/18/us/repor ... index.html

I question their methodology when the big reason for the drop is based on a deranged stalker shooting up a newsroom that he had had past court dealings with involving the woman he was stalking.

>>>"The US joined the list of the most dangerous countries for journalists last year, following the shooting at the Capital Gazette in Maryland that killed five people.<<<<

Seems a bit of a reach to tie it to Trump and "Official Press Freedom"-But you do you.

If this is more of a quality of journalists ranking then I'll buy it. Most calling themselves journalists are not. Most calling themselves journalists and crying wolf as simply showmen trying to get recognized above the other showman.

Journalism towards this country is in terrible shape. Not the country towards journalism.

[Ritterskoop]

I work in sports so I am not really involved in the investigative aspects of this business.

But I will say I have felt more on edge since the Maryland newsroom shooting. That made it real that journalists are now fair targets for people who don't know how to express their anger and frustrations in a civil manner.

It didn't used to feel that way.

I wish we could disagree with each other without name-calling and shootings. That model seems stuck in the 5th grade, except that's an insult to most 5th graders.

[Ritterskoop]

And I know if you like the president, it bothers you that some of us feel he encourages this behavior, but when he calls us the enemy of the people, it does reframe things. It's not how we get things done, by calling people names; instead, we should have a reasonable conversation about what aspects of news stories we think are inaccurate. That's what grown-ups would do.

[Beebs52]

And I know if you like the president, it bothers you that some of us feel he encourages this behavior, but when he calls us the enemy of the people, it does reframe things. It's not how we get things done, by calling people names; instead, we should have a reasonable conversation about what aspects of news stories we think are inaccurate. That's what grown-ups would do.

None of what he says advocates killing people. That's ridiculous.

[Bob Juch]

And I know if you like the president, it bothers you that some of us feel he encourages this behavior, but when he calls us the enemy of the people, it does reframe things. It's not how we get things done, by calling people names; instead, we should have a reasonable conversation about what aspects of news stories we think are inaccurate. That's what grown-ups would do.

None of what he says advocates killing people. That's ridiculous.

No, he just talks about a "Second Amendment solution."

[Ritterskoop]

All I'm suggesting is that before he starting saying stuff, people didn't go into newsrooms and murder people because they didn't like what they wrote.

It may not be a causal relationship. Too soon to say, but when there is death involved, I'm willing to go with anecdotal evidence instead of a peer-reviewed study.

[Ritterskoop]

I get that it is about more than the president. I do.

But we have gone beyond rude, and into death. Whatever it is, it sucks.

[Ritterskoop]

I apologize if I have crossed any lines in this thread, but for some reason, my throat is closing up and I am angry and sad and really feeling it.

When that women ran at the shooter waving two trash cans, and slowed him down long enough that three people said they lived because of her, I knew that is who I will be one day. It just hurts that my profession is in danger because some people never learned how to say they disagree.

[silverscreenselect]

I know the aversion that people have to Nazi comparisons, but Trump's "fake news" campaign is distressingly similar to Hitler's "lying press," with Trump having the added advantage of being able to reach many more people far more easily and effectively than Hitler could in the early 1930s. After Hitler discredited the press, he eventually eliminated many of them and cowed the rest into silence. All that occurred before the really shocking abuses in the late 1930s.

[BackInTex]

.. he calls us the enemy of the people.... It's not how we get things done, by calling people names; instead, we should have a reasonable conversation about what aspects of news stories we think are inaccurate. That's what grown-ups would do.

Grown ups like Jim Acosta? Rachel Maddow? Anderson Cooper? Helen Thomas? The behavior of these "journalists" along with the relentless daily slanted editorializing, false narratives, and sometimes outright lies put out by most of this nation's larger newspapers as "news" deserves to be called names, because "journalist" does not fit. Maybe the president shouldn't do it but he's doing a lot of things that need to be done, that he shouldn't have to do. But someone has to.

I will bring back up the narrative pushed by the media during the height of the Black Lives Matter protests, and specifically the reporting around Sandra Bland's case, that I feel directly resulting in the ambush assassination of Harris County Deputy Darren Goforth (an acquaintance of mine).

[tlynn78]

All I'm suggesting is that before he starting saying stuff, people didn't go into newsrooms and murder people because they didn't like what they wrote.

It may not be a causal relationship. Too soon to say, but when there is death involved, I'm willing to go with anecdotal evidence instead of a peer-reviewed study.

Umm, Charlie Hebdo?

[Ritterskoop]

All I'm suggesting is that before he starting saying stuff, people didn't go into newsrooms and murder people because they didn't like what they wrote.

It may not be a causal relationship. Too soon to say, but when there is death involved, I'm willing to go with anecdotal evidence instead of a peer-reviewed study.

Umm, Charlie Hebdo?

Valid.

[Beebs52]

All I'm suggesting is that before he starting saying stuff, people didn't go into newsrooms and murder people because they didn't like what they wrote.

It may not be a causal relationship. Too soon to say, but when there is death involved, I'm willing to go with anecdotal evidence instead of a peer-reviewed study.

Umm, Charlie Hebdo?

Valid.

Understand your fear. Same fear associated with office, school, disco, concert, baseball game, movie attendees/workers.

[tlynn78]

Umm, Charlie Hebdo?

Valid.

Understand your fear. Same fear associated with office, school, disco, concert, baseball game, movie attendees/workers.

Or those wearing a red hat.

[Ritterskoop]

It felt to me like the Charlie Hebdo thing was something that staff kind of invited, but definitely in the area of making you think about if you have freedom of the press, use it wisely.

[Beebs52]

It felt to me like the Charlie Hebdo thing was something that staff kind of invited, but definitely in the area of making you think about if you have freedom of the press, use it wisely.

What happened to "no" means "no"?

[tlynn78]

It felt to me like the Charlie Hebdo thing was something that staff kind of invited, but definitely in the area of making you think about if you have freedom of the press, use it wisely.

I'm trying very hard to wrap my head around in such a way that this statement doesn't really mean what it sounds like it means.

[Ritterskoop]

My perception of the cartoons were that they were deliberately trying to provoke an entire group by mocking their religious icon.

I'm not saying they shouldn't have done that, and I would never say that they deserved to die for it.

But when you invite a violent reaction, you can't be surprised when it comes.

[Ritterskoop]

Umm, Charlie Hebdo?

Valid.

Understand your fear. Same fear associated with office, school, disco, concert, baseball game, movie attendees/workers.

Don't those fears come from being gathered in a public group, which makes for a good target?

This one seems more specific, like we are at risk because of the profession we chose, which was, in some of our cases, to perform a public service.

[Beebs52]

My perception of the cartoons were that they were deliberately trying to provoke an entire group by mocking their religious icon.

I'm not saying they shouldn't have done that, and I would never say that they deserved to die for it.

But when you invite a violent reaction, you can't be surprised when it comes.

Would you categorize Piss Christ in the same way?

[BackInTex]

Valid.

Understand your fear. Same fear associated with office, school, disco, concert, baseball game, movie attendees/workers.

Don't those fears come from being gathered in a public group, which makes for a good target?

This one seems more specific, like we are at risk because of the profession we chose, which was, in some of our cases, to perform a public service.

Not talking specifically about you but the press in general. What about someone performing their public service duty and are charge by a crazed 300lb 6ft 5in. Crazy guy who is trying to grab your gun? The press wasn’t very understanding there. No, being a menber of the press is no more dangerous than working in a bowling alley or at any public place.

[Beebs52]

Valid.

Understand your fear. Same fear associated with office, school, disco, concert, baseball game, movie attendees/workers.

Don't those fears come from being gathered in a public group, which makes for a good target?

This one seems more specific, like we are at risk because of the profession we chose, which was, in some of our cases, to perform a public service.

Teachers or postal workers perform a publ8c service....mentally ill doesn't pick and choose based on...I sorta give up.

[jarnon]

Understand your fear. Same fear associated with office, school, disco, concert, baseball game, movie attendees/workers.

Don't those fears come from being gathered in a public group, which makes for a good target?

This one seems more specific, like we are at risk because of the profession we chose, which was, in some of our cases, to perform a public service.

Teachers or postal workers perform a public service....mentally ill doesn't pick and choose based on...I sorta give up.

Teachers, postal workers, firemen and doctors all perform a public service, and can become targets because they're exposed in their workplace. But cops and journalists are specifically targeted because some SOBs hate their profession.