Decline in media freedoms

A noticeable decline in media freedoms in recent

years, affecting all regions to some extent, has

accelerated since 2008. This has affected mainly

electronic media, which is often under state control

or heavy state influence—although repression and

infringements of the freedom of expression have also

extended to the print media and, most recently, the

Internet.

In some 40 countries there has been a

deterioration in scores for media freedom since

2008. This has included three countries in western

Europe (France, Italy, Turkey), eight in eastern

Europe (Albania, Azerbaijan, Hungary, Macedonia,

Montenegro, Romania, Russia and Serbia), nine in

Latin America (Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador,

Guyana, Mexico, Honduras, Nicaragua and Peru),

four in the Middle East and North Africa (Iran, Egypt,

Palestinian Territories and Saudi Arabia), four in Asia

& Australasia (Fiji, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Thailand),

and eight in Sub-Saharan Africa (Angola, Burundi,

Cameroon, Congo Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of

Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Madagascar and Rwanda).

The reasons for this decline are complex and

varied. Underlying negative trends were exacerbated

by the 2008-09 global economic crisis. Many

governments have felt increasingly vulnerable

and threatened and have reacted by intensifying

their efforts to control the media and impede free

expression. Increasing unemployment and job

insecurity have fostered a climate of fear and selfcensorship

among journalists in many countries.

The concentration of media ownership has tended

to increase, which has had a negative impact on the

diversity of views and the freedom of expression.

Advanced nations have become more inward-looking

and hence less interested and capable of monitoring

and pressurising emerging market governments

to ensure freedom of the press. In authoritarian

regimes, which have often become stronger and

more confident, state control and repression of any

independent media is a given and has if anything

tended to get worse, with increasing attacks on

independent journalists.

Дата добавления: 2015-09-04