Media Around the World

In order for democracy to work Media Around the World

In order for democracy to work in an effective manner, the electorate (the people who vote) must be well-informed. In order for citizens to be well-informed and retain their democratic power, they must have access to reliable, factual information about their government, elected officials, and what potential elected officials plan to do in their position of power.

This is where a free press becomes more than just an idea and the driving force behind the first amendment, but the absolute cornerstone of democracy and freedom in general.

As you’ve learned from your readings this week, democratic societies with a free press model do not exist everywhere. While the United States definitely has its flaws (lack of federal shield laws, fierce government crackdowns on information whistleblowers like Edward Snowden, etc.), we routinely score in the top half of the Reporters Without Borders’ Press Freedom IndexLinks to an external site..

Prompt:

For this assignment, select ONE country from the RWB press index linked above.
The countries at the bottom of the list have very little press freedoms and higher rates of violence/imprisonment than those that feature at the top.

Then complete the following:

Research the country using the resources available on either the Reporters Without Borders website or other credible websites of your choice and answer the following questions:

Which of the five theories of the press applies to the country? How can you justify this choice? Please provide at least two examples/policies that support your choice. You will need to make sure you have a solid understanding of the concept of press theories/systems before answering this question.

How dangerous is the country for journalists?

How would you compare it with the American press system?