“There is no denying that the media has a pivotal role in the world we live in. Especially today, when we are collectively wired to Internet 24/7 and bombarded with information. What content we are provided with, shapes the way we think about the world and therefore the way we act. For those in power, media control is a way of maintaining that same power. By controlling the content, the media produces, they in effect control the way people perceive the world. In such context, the majority are not in the position to critically examine the government and their decision making. They are not allowed to see the full picture, but simply a fragment. Being a journalist, one who adheres to the ethical principles of journalism proves to be a challenge in such circumstances. They face numerous obstacles in trying to inform the public.”
Being a journalist in certain parts of the world is not easy. If we look into data provided by the Reporters without Borders, it is clear that sometimes journalists pay a high price for pursuing the truth and expressing their beliefs. It comes at a cost of losing one’s life or liberty. It is precisely because of this that journalists who work in 15 countries with the freest press in the world have a lot to be thankful for. In this article which was recently published by Insider Monkey, the author analyzes and ranks media freedoms using data provided by the Reporters without Borders and the Freedom House. The most relevant measure of media freedom is the World Press Freedom Index, which is why Index values for 2017, 2016, 2015, and 2014 were used in order to rank countries. Freedom House country narrative reports were used to provide an additional insight into the freedom of press in the countries which made it to the list. One hint: Scandinavian countries are ranked pretty high To see the full list, check out the article on the link above.
