Historical Guide To World Media Freedom

Scholars of international relations and international communications view the extent of media freedom from country to country as a key comparative indicator either by itself or in correlation with other indices of national political and economic development. This indicator serves as a bellwether for gauging the health and spread of democracy. Historical Guide to World Media Freedom brings together comprehensive historical data on media freedom since World War II, providing consistent and comparable measures of media freedom in all independent countries for the years 1948 to the present. The work also includes country-by country summaries, analyses of historical and regional trends in media freedom, and extensive reliability analyses of media freedom measures. The book’s detailed information helps researchers connect historical measures of media freedom to Freedom House’s annual Freedom of the Press survey release, enabling them to extend their studies back before the 1980s when Freedom House began compiling global press freedom measures. Key Features: A-to-Z, country-by-country summaries of the ebb and flow of media freedom are paired with national media freedom measures over time. Introductory chapters discuss such topics as the theoretical premises behind the nature and importance of media freedom, historical trends, and the challenges of coding for media freedom in a way that ensures consistency for comparison. Concluding material covers the historical patterns in media freedom, how media freedom tracks with other cross-national indicators, and more. Accessible to students and scholars alike, this groundbreaking reference is essential to collections in political science, international studies, and journalism and communications.

Drawing together international experts on research methods in International Relations (IR), this Handbook answers the complex practical questions for those approaching a new research topic for the first time. Innovative in its approach, it considers the art of IR research as well as the science, offering diverse perspectives on current research methods and emerging developments in the field.

The origins of World Press Freedom Day arise from a declaration signed by a group of African journalists who gathered at a UNESCO seminar on "Promoting an Independent and Pluralistic African Media" that was held in Windhoek, Namibia from 29 April to 3 May 1991. Subsequently, painstaking lobbying led to the proclamation of 3 May as an international day on press freedom by the United Nations General Assembly in 1993. This publication aims to commemorate the 20th anniversary of World Press Freedom Day by illuminating the trajectory of this important international event from its origins, following the historic Windhoek Declaration, to the present day. Issues of media freedom, safety of journalists, impunity, gender in the media, pluralism, independence and access to information, as well as the role of the Internet and other 21st century media developments are also covered.

Does America have a free press? Many who answer yes appeal to First Amendment protections that shield the press from government censorship. But in this comprehensive history of American press freedom as it has existed in theory, law, and practice, Sam Lebovic shows that, on its own, the right of free speech has been insufficient to guarantee a free press. Lebovic recovers a vision of press freedom, prevalent in the mid-twentieth century, based on the idea of unfettered public access to accurate information. This “right to the news” responded to persistent worries about the quality and diversity of the information circulating in the nation’s news. Yet as the meaning of press freedom was contested in various arenas—Supreme Court cases on government censorship, efforts to regulate the corporate newspaper industry, the drafting of state secrecy and freedom of information laws, the unionization of journalists, and the rise of the New Journalism—Americans chose to define freedom of the press as nothing more than the right to publish without government censorship. The idea of a public right to all the news and information was abandoned, and is today largely forgotten. Free Speech and Unfree News compels us to reexamine assumptions about what freedom of the press means in a democratic society—and helps us make better sense of the crises that beset the press in an age of aggressive corporate consolidation in media industries, an increasingly secretive national security state, and the daily newspaper’s continued decline.

The world's most comprehensive guide to international press freedom From Aleppo to Zacatecas, Beijing to Brasilia, the past decade has seen a sharp rise in the number of journalist imprisonments, assassinations, and disappearances worldwide. Caught between warlords and religious extremists, corrupt police and drug cartels, and hemmed in by increasingly oppressive censorship laws, journalists have never been at such peril, nor asked to pay such a high price for the ethical practice of their profession. Begun as a simple typewritten list in 1986, Attacks on the Press has grown to become the definitive annual assessment of press freedoms globally. Compiled by the Committee to Protect Journalists, it provides up-to-the-minute analyses of media conditions, press freedom violations, and emerging threats to journalists in every corner of the world. In this 2013 edition, you will find front-line reports and analytical essays by CPJ experts covering an array of topics of critical importance to journalists, including: Journalist casualties at the front lines of conflicts in Syria, Nigeria, Somalia, Afghanistan, and other global hot spots The curtailment of Internet freedoms across Southeast Asia, with an emphasis on the draconian measures now in place in Vietnam, Malaysia, and Thailand The status of investigations into the disappearances of 35 journalists worldwide, and why more than half of those disappeared went missing in Mexico and Russia The rise in journalist imprisonments globally, the spate of new anti-terrorism laws that made it possible, and the example set by the U.S. government in the wake of 9/11 The state of journalistic freedoms in Iran since the Green Movement and the practice of summary imprisonment of Iranian journalists How the rise of mobile Internet technology and social media has engendered new dangers for journalists from both insurgent groups and the governments they are fighting In addition to being an invaluable source of timely information and guidance for media professionals, Attacks on the Press gives voice to journalists globally, providing them with a platform for direct advocacy with governments and a seat in discussions at the UN, OAS, EU, AU, and other official bodies.

"Censorship vs. Press Freedom Worldwide" is a comprehensive and thought-provoking exploration of the ongoing battle between censorship and press freedom on a global scale. This book delves deep into the complex dynamics and multifaceted challenges faced by media, journalists, and societies in their pursuit of a free and responsible press. Key Features: Global Perspectives: This book provides a global perspective on censorship and press freedom, highlighting case studies and examples from various regions, offering a comprehensive understanding of the state of media worldwide. Historical Context: Gain insights into the historical evolution of censorship and press freedom, tracing their roots and the forces that have shaped the contemporary media landscape. Challenges Faced: Delve into the multifaceted challenges faced by journalists, media organizations, and societies, such as political pressures, technological disruptions, and safety concerns, which impact the freedom of the press. Impact on Democracy: Explore the critical role of a free press in promoting and sustaining democratic societies, and the potential consequences of censorship on the health of democracy. Legal and Ethical Considerations: Examine the legal and ethical dimensions of censorship and press freedom, considering the boundaries of free expression, journalistic integrity, and responsible reporting. Journalists' Stories: Hear the voices of journalists who have faced censorship and persecution as they share their personal experiences and the risks they take to uncover the truth. Future of Media: Contemplate the future of media in an increasingly digital world and the implications for both censorship and press freedom, as well as emerging strategies for safeguarding the freedom of the press. "Censorship vs. Press Freedom Worldwide" is a vital resource for academics, journalists, policymakers, and anyone interested in the critical role that a free press plays in society. It invites readers to critically examine the challenges facing the media landscape today and underscores the importance of upholding press freedom as an essential pillar of democracy. This book offers a global perspective on the ongoing struggle between censorship and the preservation of a free and responsible press, encouraging reflection and dialogue on the values that underpin this essential freedom.

The contentious role of social media in recent elections and referendums has brought to the fore once again the fundamental question of media freedom and the extent to which, and the way in which, the media should be regulated in a modern democratic society. This book surveys the history of media in the US, the UK and Europe in order to develop a new theory of media freedom that is capable of resolving current controversies about how best to regulate the media, including the internet and social media. Tambini argues that democratic regulation of the media must build upon – and learn from – the long history of accommodation between the press, broadcasting, the state and corporate power. By attending to this history, we can see that media freedom is not absolute but rather conditional, taking the form of a social contract of privileges and connected duties. Tambini develops this social contract account of media freedom and applies it to different media sectors, from the press and broadcasting to the internet and social media. Above all, he argues for a renewed role for international human rights law standards in media governance, and an end to American exceptionalism. Written for students, scholars, policymakers and media professionals, this wide-ranging book will be of interest to everyone concerned about the role of the media in our societies and about the health of our democracies.

The institution of slavery has always depended on myriad ways of enforcing the boundaries between slaveholders and the enslaved. As historical geographer Miles Ogborn reveals in The Freedom of Speech, no repressive tool has been as pervasive as the policing of words themselves. Offering a compelling new lens on transatlantic slavery, this book gathers rich historical data from Barbados, Jamaica, the United Kingdom, and North America to delve into the complex relationships between voice, slavery, and empire. From the most quotidian encounters to formal rules of what counted as evidence in court, the battleground of slavery lay in who could speak and under what conditions. But, as Ogborn shows through keen attention to the narratives and silences in the archives, if slavery as a legal status could be made by words, it could be unmade by them as well. A masterful look at the duality of domination, The Freedom of Speech offers a rich interpretation of oral cultures that both supported and constantly threatened to undermine the slave system.

Freedom House's annual press freedom survey has tracked trends in media freedom worldwide since 1980. Covering 194 countries and territories, Freedom of the Press 2006 provides comparative rankings and examines the legal environment for the media, political pressures that influence reporting, and economic factors that affect access to information. The survey is the most authoritative assessment of media freedom around the world. Its findings are widely utilized by policymakers, scholars, press freedom advocates, journalists, and international institutions.