U.S. Press Freedom in Steep Decline.

[diddle]

Ranked #46 by Reporters Without Borders.

http://news.yahoo.com/us-under-fire-...233542924.html

We're between Haiti and Romania for god's sake.

Do you believe the ranking is justified, or just political hype surrounding recent events?

[Olo]

http://news.yahoo.com/us-under-fire-...233542924.html

We're between Haiti and Romania for god's sake.

The Guardian had to flee to the US but the UK is ranked higher?

Seems political.

[Templar 331]

The U.S. government keeping it's secrets secret means freedom of press is in decline? Not buying it.

[mvaliz]

We're between Haiti and Romania for god's sake.

What's wrong with Haiti's and Romania's press? I don't know anything about their state of their press... do you?

Secondly, at this point I honestly could care less about "freedom of the press" as the press here in America has abused that privileged towards irrepressible levels. If it's not a political bias, then it's simply a profit-motive driven - both of which radically distort reality in favor of achieving their primary motives.

[Masark]

Snowden isn't the press and I thought Wikileaks was the site famous for borderline treason. Why do those things drag down our rating?

1. He's a source for the press.

2. How exactly is an Australian committing "borderline treason" against the USA?

[Endus]

Snowden isn't the press and I thought Wikileaks was the site famous for borderline treason. Why do those things drag down our rating?

Snowden was giving the press information.

And the very fact that you think Wikileaks was doing anything close to "treason" is entirely the point.

Though, to be fair, I think a bigger issue is the nature of news media in the US. The best term I've seen to describe it is "disinfotainment".

[Rukentuts]

The only thing I remember Wikileaks for off the top of my head was posting information about the up to date movements of Navy ships in the Middle East while Iraq and Afghanistan were happenin' places. Did that never actually occur? It's not the kind of thing I pay much attention to.

And I don't know all the details of the Snowden situation, but, whether it was right or wrong, the government being upset that secret information was leaked hardly seems surprising or even unreasonable.

Still not as bad as that FOX News reporter that was embedded with the troops and gave away their position on a live operation.

[diddle]

What's wrong with Haiti's and Romania's press? I don't know anything about their state of their press... do you?

ha, fair enough

[Dezerte]

Iirc the US typically hasn't scored very well on Press Freedom Indexes for quite some time.

[Wilian]

If your mainstream media watched by the majority is bought off by the same people who bought off your politicians, what would you expect?

[Endus]

The only thing I remember Wikileaks for off the top of my head was posting information about the up to date movements of Navy ships in the Middle East while Iraq and Afghanistan were happenin' places. Did that never actually occur? It's not the kind of thing I pay much attention to.

It happened. It wasn't, in any remote way, treasonous.

It might've been treasonous for whoever gave them that information to give it in the first place, but publishing it is in no way treasonous, even if Wikileaks were American, which it wasn't, anyway.

And I don't know all the details of the Snowden situation, but, whether it was right or wrong, the government being upset that secret information was leaked hardly seems surprising or even unreasonable.

But not good for freedom of the press. That's the point.

Nixon's administration really didn't want Deep Throat to reveal the shenanigans that led to the Watergate scandal coming to light, but it's pretty widely recognized that the guy did the right thing in revealing it.

[Rukentuts]

Knowingly making information that could be directly used to subvert the interests of a country available on a medium that can be freely accessed by the enemies of that country seems like a pretty clear cut case to me.

That FOX News guy was never charged.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

Not being charged doesn't mean you didn't do it, but I'd also guess he lacked intent to oppose American interests and just didn't think his actions through.

"It's only illegal if you get caught!"

Teehee

[Rukentuts]

"It's only illegal if you get caught!"

Teehee

Well, as far as clear cut cases go, he made his comments live on TV. If there was ease of prosecution it would've been right there. :shrug:

[Masark]

"It's only illegal if you get caught!"

Teehee

It's only illegal if someone feels like prosecuting you.

[Skroe]

The Guardian had to flee to the US but the UK is ranked higher?

Seems political.

/thread.

Very political.

I didn't see the NSA sending enforcers to the New York Times and order them to destroy laptops in the basement while they watched.

Because that's exactly what the GCHQ did to the Guardian.

[Deleted]

/thread.

Very political.

I didn't see the NSA sending enforcers to the New York Times and order them to destroy laptops in the basement while they watched.

Because that's exactly what the GCHQ did to the Guardian.

Well that was incompetent on so many levels.

Just because the brits are more incompetent doesnt mean they are worse.

[v2prwsmb45yhuq3wj23vpjk]

Not being charged doesn't mean you didn't do it, but I'd also guess he lacked intent to oppose American interests and just didn't think his actions through.

Snowden has thus far only claimed to want the best for Americans, IIRC.

[Cyberowl]

But...freedom and democracy

I'm not very suprised by this...money can buy you out of jail, money can control the media. And of course there are several groups which like to twist the publics opinion to fit theirs. And there is something about tea...I guess they want to make people like tea! Or something... or something

[Skroe]

Snowden has thus far only claimed to want the best for Americans, IIRC.

Yeah. And then he shows himself entirely full of shit by spilling the beans on things that have nothing to do with American Civil Liberties. Lack tactics and tools we use against states. And practices our allies use against terrorists.

There is no overlap in the Venn diagram between American civil liberties / privacy and most of what he has shown.