NDM 21

Global press freedom plunges to worst level this century

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/nov/30/press-freedom-at-all-time-low-journalist-safety-article-19-v-dem-study

- The Guardian

Media freedom around the world has fallen to the lowest level for at least a decade, according to a study that shows journalists are threatened by government censorship, organised crime and commercial pressures caused by the growth of the internet. Countries such as Turkey has experienced the biggest decline in freedom of speech over the past decade including Brazil, Burundi, Egypt, Poland, Venezuela and Bangladesh as well.

• “Unfortunately, our findings show that freedom of expression is under attack in democracies as well as authoritarian regimes.”
• there were 426 attacks against journalists and media outlets in Mexico in 2016 alone
• The freedom of the media globally is further threatened by the rise of the internet because online content is being controlled by a handful of internet companies whose processes “lack transparency”,
• The report found that 259 journalists were jailed last year and 79 were killed.
• As of April this year, 152 Turkish journalists were in prison, according to the opposition
• More than 170 media organisations have been shut down since last year’s coup, including newspapers, websites, TV stations and news agencies
• 2,500 journalists have been laid off

This article explains how Freedom of speech in regards to Journalism is now becoming threatened by major organisations and government groups. The fact that it is reaching to the extent that people are being killed or jailed for what they publish is becoming increasingly a problem worldwide. This highlights the Marxist view that governments want to keep some kind of control. From the diagram above you can see that the majority of the map is leaning towards the 'least freedom' section of the rank - North Korea being the highest there for the lack of freedom.