DamianTV
02-13-2014, 02:50 AM
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/02/12/350329/report-us-plunges-in-press-freedom-index/
Last year, the United States plunged 13 spots in the global press freedom index to number 46, Paris-based Reporters Without Borders said on Wednesday.
"Countries that pride themselves on being democracies and respecting the rule of law have not set an example," the authors write. “This has been the case in the United States.”
In the US, “freedom of information is too often sacrificed to an overly broad and abusive interpretation of national security needs,” the non-governmental organization said.
The US was singled out for its pursuit of spying leaker Edward Snowden, who exposed the National Security Agency’s secret mass surveillance programs around the world.
The disclosures sparked global outrage and even some of Washington’s closest allies have denounced the spying programs.
US journalists were stunned in May by the Department of Justice’s seizure of Associated Press phone records without warning in order to identify the source of a CIA leak. AP’s top executive called it a "massive and unprecedented intrusion" into how news organizations gather the news.
The threats facing newsgathering in the US are also felt by both longstanding journalists like New York Times national security reporter James Risen, who may serve jail time for refusing to reveal a source.
In 2012, America’s press freedom index also dropped considerably after a series of high-profile journalist arrests at Occupy protests.
Last year, the United States plunged 13 spots in the global press freedom index to number 46, Paris-based Reporters Without Borders said on Wednesday.
"Countries that pride themselves on being democracies and respecting the rule of law have not set an example," the authors write. “This has been the case in the United States.”
In the US, “freedom of information is too often sacrificed to an overly broad and abusive interpretation of national security needs,” the non-governmental organization said.
The US was singled out for its pursuit of spying leaker Edward Snowden, who exposed the National Security Agency’s secret mass surveillance programs around the world.
The disclosures sparked global outrage and even some of Washington’s closest allies have denounced the spying programs.
US journalists were stunned in May by the Department of Justice’s seizure of Associated Press phone records without warning in order to identify the source of a CIA leak. AP’s top executive called it a "massive and unprecedented intrusion" into how news organizations gather the news.
The threats facing newsgathering in the US are also felt by both longstanding journalists like New York Times national security reporter James Risen, who may serve jail time for refusing to reveal a source.
In 2012, America’s press freedom index also dropped considerably after a series of high-profile journalist arrests at Occupy protests.