By Alison Bethel McKenzie From AlJazeera

Once a global beacon, the American press has suffered from scandal, unpopularity and government crackdowns

Today the world recognizes World Press Freedom Day. Instituted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organization (UNESCO), its purpose is to “celebrate the fundamental principles of press freedom, to evaluate press freedom around the world, to defend the media from attacks on [its] independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession.” The issues of quality reporting, media independence and the safety of journalists are as relevant today as ever – especially in the United States.

While American journalists have long been hailed as flag bearers of the profession — able to report, write and broadcast in mostly ideal circumstances — in the past two or more decades, we have seen a number of cases of fabrication by journalists that have shamed the profession at large and undermined public trust. The more journalism loses popular support, the greater the leverage the public and government officials have to restrict press freedom.

No longer can U.S.media ignore the issue of press freedom and point fingers at other nations for their poor records. Today, journalists in the United States are more under fire than ever.

In 2015, the United States’ ranking in the Reporters without Borders index of press freedom dropped from 20 in 2010 to 49 – four steps above Haiti. (For the full list, go to https://index.rsf.org/) Ranking higher than the United States: Burkina Faso, Namibia, El Salvador, Suriname, Samoa and the eastern Caribbean, to name a few.

The reason for the drop? Frequent attacks on journalists by the public and law enforcement during demonstrations and other high-profile events, threats against journalists who refuse to reveal their sources and the government’s failure to pass a federal shield law protecting journalists.

During the recent protests in Baltimore after 25-year-old Freddie Gray died after being injured while in police custody, more than five journalists were injured and even more had their equipment destroyed or stolen, the Poynter Institute reported. In other countries there would be an outcry. Journalists and their advocates would be very vocal on finding the perpetrators of these crimes and prosecuting them. There is rarely such a cry in the United States.

Communities appear to have forgotten the role of the media in upholding democracy. They also need to be reminded that instances of bad journalism are the exception, and not the rule.

An appreciation of the press starts from the top. But the Barack Obama administration has prosecuted those who have leaked classified information to the press; secretly subpoenaed the phone records of the Associated Press’s phone lines; listened into the phone and email records of Fox News reporter James Rosen; and allegedly spied on Al Jazeera’s correspondence, according to a 2013 special report by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) on press freedom in America. New York Times investigative reporter James Risen was twice subpoenaed by federal prosecutors to testify in their case against former Central Intelligence Agency employee James Alexander Sterling, who has been in contact with him. Risen refused to testify and wrote a lengthy defense of his stance. However, his appeal was refused by the Supreme Court and only a political decision by the Obama Administration prevented his going to jail to protect his sources.

While ceremonies, speeches and trainings are held around the world in recognition of World Press Freedom day, I hope that non-journalists in the United States will raise their voices on social media about the importance of a free and open press. Let us all celebrate and cherish what the founding fathers held so dear that they devoted the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to prohibtingany law “abridging freedom of speech, or of the press.” Bravo to them.

Alison Bethel McKenzie is a member of the board of directors of Al Jazeera America. A veteran journalist with three decades of media experience in the United States, Africa, the Caribbean and Europe, she most recently was executive director of the International Press Institute. Today she speaks globally on media issues and conducts trainings and workshops internationally.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera America’s editorial policy.

For more on this story go to: http://america.aljazeera.com/opinions/2015/5/press-freedom-is-declining-in-the-us.html

Related story:

On World Press Freedom Day, UN says free expression vital for global sustainability

From Caribbean News Now

NEW YORK, USA — Freedom of expression and press freedom are critical to the successful implementation of good governance and human rights around the world, top United Nations officials declared on Sunday, as they inaugurated the 2015 edition of World Press Freedom Day with a reminder that both freedoms were “essential” for the shaping of a new global sustainable development agenda.

In a joint message, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the Director-General of the UN Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Irina Bokova, and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, observed that quality journalism “enables citizens to make informed decisions about their society’s development” while also working “to expose injustice, corruption, and the abuse of power.”

“For peace to be lasting and development to be sustainable, human rights must be respected,” the UN officials affirmed in their statement. “Everyone must be free to seek, receive and impart knowledge and information on all media, online and offline.”

World Press Freedom Day, which was established by the UN General Assembly and is celebrated annually on 3 May, is designated by UNESCO as an opportunity to celebrate worldwide the fundamental principles of press freedom; assess the state of press freedom throughout the world; defend the media from attacks on their independence; and pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty. This year’s theme – ‘Let Journalism Thrive!’ – is a three-pronged message that advocates for quality journalism, the tackling of gender imbalances in media, and digital safety.

Ahead of the 2015 observance of the Day, UNESCO, the United Nations agency mandated to promote and protect press freedom worldwide, named renowned journalist and CNN correspondent Christiane Amanpour as its Goodwill Ambassador for Freedom of Expression and Journalist Safety.

“We need every voice to speak out and be heard – especially those of women,” the UN officials’ statement continued. “Twenty years after the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, women remain underrepresented throughout the media, at decision-making level but also in the coverage of issues.”

“We cannot let this stand,” they added. “Men and women must participate equally in making and sharing the news.”

At the same time, Ban, Bokova and Zeid underscored the troubling scenario of violence and insecurity in which thousands of journalists operate in every day, noting that at least one journalist is killed each week in both conflict and non-conflict zones.

“Journalism must be able to thrive, in an enabling environment in which they can work independently and without undue interference and in conditions of safety,” the statement declared. “This is our message today, to let journalism thrive!”

In a separate message, Ban said that, around the globe, journalists are attacked every day as they try to carry out their work. In the last year alone, 61 journalists were killed. Many more languish in jails without charges or any sign of due process, the victims of governments and others that prohibit free inquiry and use the power of the state to intimidate the press.

“As we mark World Press Freedom Day this year, let us honour the memory of those who lost their lives, and intensify our efforts to uphold the fundamental human right to freedom of expression and press freedom,” said the secretary-general, adding that this year’s theme emphasizes the importance of ensuring a free and pluralistic media against the backdrop of a fast-paced and ever-changing digital world.

Digital technology has been exploited to spread hate speech or incite violence, but it is also a force for good, bringing people together in a global conversation about how to build a better world. In particular, digital technology can have a positive impact as leaders strive this year to formulate an ambitious agenda to advance sustainable development for years to come.

However digital journalists and bloggers are also facing retribution and curbs on their freedom to report, he said.

“Thriving journalism – whether in digital or more traditional form – must be anchored in quality reporting and information dissemination to all segments of society. Women play a critical, yet far too neglected, role in in today’s media landscape,” said the UN chief, calling on all governments, societies and individuals to uphold the principles put forward by member states on the need for the free exchange of information and ideas, both within and among nations.

“We must commit to ensure that the safety and human rights of journalists are protected, independent of the political, socio-economic or cultural pressures that may threaten, impede or deter their freedom to keep the world informed,” he declared.

IMAGE: media_press.jpg UN Photo/Evan Schneider

For more on this story go to: http://www.caribbeannewsnow.com/headline-On-World-Press-Freedom-Day%2C-UN-says-free-expression-vital-for-global-sustainability-25961.html