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Contributions from
the Column
Media
Controls don’t do the job
Press freedom: Fighting for the right to report
NGOs as watchdogs and intermediate
South Africa: roots of rape
Asian challenge
06/2006 |
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Press freedom:
Fighting for the right to report
Last year, 65 journalists were murdered on the job. 23 journalists died in Iraq alone. That country remains the world’s most dangerous place for media professionals, according to the World Press Freedom Review 2005. Journalists were also killed in 21 other countries, including Bangladesh, Haiti, Russia, and Somalia. The review published by the International Press Institute (IPI) shows that, on virtually every continent, the media must struggle to uphold the fundamental right to report. The review contains summaries of the situation in the various world regions as well as detailed reports on individual countries.
Commenting on the situation, IPI Director Johann P. Fritz states:
“A free media has always been essential to democracy; however, 2005 saw a subtle shift in this thinking and there is now a
worrying political mindset that views some of the media's work as damaging to both the war on terror and relations with Islam.”
Four journalists were killed in eastern Europe. In Asia, 20 journalists died work-related deaths. With 26 journalists killed, the Middle East and North Africa is the most media-unfriendly region.
In the Americas, 11 journalists fell victim. The IPI notes progress with the removal of some “insult” laws (Chile, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama) and a reduction in violent attacks on Venezuelan journalists. However, self-censorship has increased across the region and attacks on journalists in Colombia and Mexico continue. Haiti is the region’s most dangerous country, with three journalists murdered. In the United States 2005 was also a difficult year for the media, because of restrictions on access to information and the judicial pursuit of jo1urnalists’ sources. (orb)
More information: http://www.freemedia.at
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