A recent publication from the Reporters San Frontiers (translates to: Reporters Without Borders) has placed Caribbean nations, Trinidad and Jamaica at 19th and 27th respectively on its latest Press Freedom Index. The index ranks 169 countries, so as you can imagine, this bodes well for Press Freedom in these here parts. Strangely enough Disappointingly, only three CARICOM nations and affiliates are indexed in total – the other being Haiti who come in at 75.
Note: the study itself wasn’t scientific in the technical sense so be careful how you use this beyond party arguments/conversations. From the report itself:
"Reporters Without Borders compiled this index by sending a questionnaire to the 15 freedom of expression organisations throughout the world that are its partners, to its network of 130 correspondents, and to journalists, researchers, jurists and human rights activists. It contained 50 questions about press freedom in their countries…"
An aside: Press Freedom is one issue but when are we going to start seeing those indexes of Press/Media corruption? From where I’m sitting, giving a newspaper complete freedom to operate shouldn’t go without a demonstrated commitment to responsible journalism (Observer Editorialist do you see me glaring @ you?)
Link: RSF Press Freedom Index (.pdf, 240kb)
