by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
The USA ranks no higher than number 32 the United Kingdom is a little better at number 29, one rank worse than last year, and Germany is a little better still on number 17, also one worse than the year before.
The three top ranks are held by Finland, followed by the Netherlands and then Norway. And the US and the UK still want to teach the world about freedoms and especially freedom of the press? I think not.
The ratings list has been assembled by the organization “Reporters without Borders” and is one whose findings we can sure rely upon.
It is a disgrace that those very countries that try to teach the world about freedom and freedom of the press are not amongst the top ten at least.
When, however, one realizes that in neither of those countries one can call a spade a spade as far as those are concerned that are a true danger to world peace, for instance, and those selfsame that control banking and the media as a whole then we know that those freedoms are but an illusion.
The threat, in the UK, has been for a while now that journalist's sources are no longer to be privileged and may be given to the authorities upon request. That is not freedom of the press and neither is the restriction – illegality even – of photographing of and reporting upon police activities. Such actions are the sign of a police state and not of a state of free people and one of freedom of the press.
The United States which, in fact, has Freedom of the Press in its very Constitution is, nevertheless, restricting, as can be seen from the ratings, the activities of reporters and journalists, especially citizen journalists and allows the great majority of it media to be controlled by but a handful of people who cannot, in fact, be trusted to deliver news and views unbiased.
While Britain does not have the same provisions as to press freedom in that it is not enshrined in any written constitution and even the freedom of speech does not, in reality, extend to the press and/or ordinary citizens which are still, to all intents and purposes, subjects of Her or His (whichever the case may be) Britannic Majesty, as far as the ownership and control of the media goes the same applies. Namely that it is in the hands, in the main, of by the same handful of people of the same background. Thus much of what the people get to read, hear and see is but that which is permitted by those that control said media outlets.
As far as freedoms of the press are concerned in Britain it is now illegal, for journalists, as much as “ordinary” citizens, to photograph certain places, certain activities and such and all of this falls under offenses under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. However, more often that not it is just intended, when applied, to restrict the activities of the media and citizen journalists.
What are they afraid of?
© 2013
