Reporters With Out Borders: US falls to 45th on press freedom under "media-bashing enthusiast" Trump

The Hill

Reporters Without Borders has dropped the United States to No. 45 in its annual ranking of press freedom for 180 countries around the world.

In the report released Wednesday, the United States received a "fairly good" rating, which falls below the category of "good," in which only 9 percent of countries rated were placed.

The ranking continues a downward trend for the U.S. in recent years. The country finished No. 43 in 2017 and No. 41 in 2016.

The report pins part of the blame for the U.S. slide on President Trump and his regular attacks on the media. The president often uses the term "fake news" in describing the American media.

"The United States, the country of the First Amendment, has fallen again in the Index under Donald Trump, this time two places to 45th," the report says. "A media-bashing enthusiast, Trump has referred to reporters 'enemies of the people,' the term once used by Joseph Stalin."

"The U.S.' decline in press freedom is not simply bad news for journalists working inside the country; the downward trend has drastic consequences at the international level," the report noted. " 'Fake news' is now a trademark excuse for media repression, in both democratic and authoritarian regimes."

Norway and Sweden were ranked at the top for press freedom for the second straight year, while North Korea, Eritrea, Turkmenistan, Syria and China were ranked at the bottom.

The report notes that attacks on the media are "no longer limited to authoritarian countries" and that "democratically-elected leaders" no longer see the media as essential.

"Hostility towards the media from political leaders is no longer limited to authoritarian countries such as Turkey (down two at 157th) and Egypt (161st), where 'media-phobia' is now so pronounced that journalists are routinely accused of terrorism and all those who don’t offer loyalty are arbitrarily imprisoned," the report says.

"More and more democratically-elected leaders no longer see the media as part of democracy's essential underpinning, but as an adversary to which they openly display their aversion."

Trump has regularly railed against media outlets, including CNN, The New York Times and The Washington Post.

In January, the president launched the fake news "awards" online, with CNN, The New York Times, The Washington Post and Newsweek being named surrounding particular stories, among other outlets.

"2017 was a year of unrelenting bias, unfair news coverage, and even downright fake news," the announcement read on Jan. 17. "Studies have shown that over 90 percent of the media’s coverage of President Trump is negative."

All that can be said is...

That is no surprise honestly.

I don't understand. How is the press less free than before?

To hell with Trump and his self-serving crusade against the media that has nothing to do with journalistic integrity at all, but I'm a tad curious on this myself.

“It’s frankly disgusting the way the press is able to write whatever they want to write and people should want to look into it.”

“FAKE NEWS media knowingly doesn’t tell the truth. A great danger to our country. The failing @nytimes has become a joke. Likewise @CNN. Sad!”

"With all of the Fake News coming out of NBC and the Networks, at what point is it appropriate to challenge their License? Bad for country!"

“Network news has become so partisan, distorted and fake that licenses must be challenged and, if appropriate, revoked. Not fair to public!”

— Donald J. Trump

Stuff like this. Even though nothing has been done so far to censor any news outlets, the perceived intent from an elected official (the POTUS no less) is still there, and that alone is enough to bump you down a few places on the press freedom list.

It isn't less free. This is empty tribalist posturing. Criticism, even wrongheaded criticism, is not a violation of the first amendment. Nations without a free press are not able to coordinate media campaigns in which they declare their leader is an evil dictator.

Really?

Yes.

While I don't think legally it is any less free, the sad truth is that a man like Trump has the influence and charisma to make it practically less free; he has turned his supporters, which are many, against the media in general and fostered distrust. Trump has also used his personal and financial network to influence certain things.

So yeah, media is definitely worse off.

See above. Overall I agree with you, but I feel this is the first step to being a nation with a highly censored/not free press.

So when you criticize news sources you are, in your own mind, helping to dismantle the first amendment?

I think rather that creating/strengthening a distrust for the media, or reporters, you disagree with could lead to them getting more threats/being attacked because of what they do.

Just continues the trend that supports my stance that trump is bad for America. Sad!

You can say that about literally any profession, particularly in the internet era.

Did the O.P. bitch in 2016 when the press was ranked 41? Nah, you just bitch when it's Trump.

Why is that no surprise?

What has changed from Obama presidency to the Trump presidency?

And don´t say the president's critic or banter against the media, because this is a free country and even the president is allowed to speak his mind.

@nintendoboy16: Reporters without borders are a massive joke.

In a democratic free country like the USA, the press is not above being criticized by its leaders, in fact, it´s a cornerstone of the 1st amendment that we even the president have the right to free speech.

So dropping America down to a lower place is just the far-left having a cry over the fact that someone finally reveals just how shitty reporters can be.

I feel it lays the groundwork for dismantling, yes. If a lawmaker says "If only I had the support to do __________" and then enough people simply say they support ______________, well, they helped that lawmaker do something.

The whole reason we are in this shitty situation is because people view the various amendments as these inalienable entitlements which then get abused. "Blah blah blah" then "Hey you can't say that" Yeah huh! It's my right!" or "I want to own a rediculously lethal and crazy gun!" and then people are like "But why?" and then the response is "Because I'm entitled to". We are being really irresponsible with our alleged "rights" as Americans, and it's backfiring.

Now, I'm not saying people can't criticize the media, or own firearms, or even hold racist protests (provided they're peaceful and organized), but we need to remember the power and influence we have. Pizzagate and the whole armed dude showing up, for example.

People underestimate just how much power they hold. I mean look what kind of crazy shit we can do when enough bad apples get together, they can elect a dipshit like Trump! It'd be incredible and inspirational if it weren't so awful :D

LOL telling people the news is fake when it's true, factual, and accurate is NOT criticism. And if the leader does that then yes............your rating should go down. Oh look.........exactly what's happening.

It's fine to be critical of the press and have some healthy skepticism. Any industry should be held up to some measurable standard. However, Trump's criticisms are often based on false claims. Rather than having people legitimately question the press, he seems to want to sew a distrust of them in general. While the press haven't lost any specific rights as far as I know, this administration is certainly hostile to them and attempts to undermine their credibility to distract from their own shortcomings.

The irony is, suppression of speech as well as institutionalized misinformation was worse during Bush W era.

Namely because the Bush family are more disciplined about being evil. Trump is too undisciplined

I don't think they suppressed speech. They just weren't very transparent. They weren't locking up reporters or such.

Bush W was the first to make 'free speech zones' and much harder requirements for getting approval for a protest.

That and how they got the media to lie so pervasively about WMDs in Iraq is mind blowing, all it took was a little bit of investigation by anyone to learn it was highly unlikely Iraq had any WMDs

trump I dont think has actually put a journalist in jail. threats I am sure but actually done it? I dont know

Who needs news from professional journalists who check sources and information before reporting on it, when you have that conspiracy nutcase on your Facebook feed that keeps posting "news" that suit your echo chamber?

The sad thing is the DNC suing Wikileaks is far more a threat to the freedom of the press than all of Trump's dumb tirades combined.

I still think it is funny that the we know the DNC colluded with foreign spies to get Russian Dirt with the expressed intent of impacting the election, but now they are trying to take folks to court because they may have colluded with spies to get Russian dirt to impact the election.

This group doesn't seem to have a pulse on the American public. For years people have thought the media is crap. Trump is more of a product than an influence.