(begin fact sheet)
U.S. Department of State
Bureau of Public Affairs
April 30, 2007
UNITED STATES SUPPORTS PRESS FREEDOM WORLDWIDE
“…there is no more important
pillar of democracy than a free and active press.”
– Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
As part of President George W. Bush’s
Freedom Agenda, the United States views freedom of the press
as a key component of democracy. The free exchange of ideas
fosters accountable government and allows the viewpoints
of many, including the marginalized in a society, to be
heard. The United States works bilaterally and multilaterally
in many ways to support press freedom worldwide.
THREATS TO A FREE PRESS
Reports indicate that over 110 journalists
and media workers were killed in 2006, making it the bloodiest
year on record for journalism. These incidents highlight
the significant dangers journalists and media workers face
throughout the world as well as the need to improve respect
for freedom of the press and the safety of journalists.
U.S. INITIATIVES AND PROGRAMS
The United States works to protect and promote
press freedom at home and to spotlight places where press
freedom is threatened abroad.
Reporting and Denouncing Violations
• The U.S. State Department’s
annual Country Reports on Human Rights spotlight threats
facing a free press and are a tool for governments, NGOs
and citizens. In 2006, for the first time, the Reports included
a section on Internet freedom.
Supporting a Free Press through
Programs and Exchanges
• The State Department provides professional
development and exchange programs for journalists, editors
and media managers from around the world, such as the Edward
R. Murrow Journalism Fellowships. It supports journalists
producing radio and television programs that are independent
of state-controlled media. The U.S. funds NGOs that promote
a free press abroad, and defends journalists under threat.
Promoting Internet Freedom
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice launched
the Global Internet Freedom Task Force in February, 2006,
to maximize the free flow of information on the Internet
while minimizing the abilities of repressive regimes to
censor it.
WORKING MULTILATERALLY
UNESCO
• The United States was a founding
member and is the fourth largest donor of UNESCO’s
International Programme for the Development of Communication
(IPDC) that promotes media independence in developing countries.
• Since rejoining UNESCO in 2003,
the United States has increased its donations to the IPDC
five-fold to $300,000 and has funded many of its media development
projects, including in Afghanistan, Colombia, Cameroon,
Guatemala, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Rwanda, and Uganda.
• The United States commemorates the
UN-sponsored World Press Freedom Day on May 3. And the United
States joins UNESCO in honoring Anna Politkovskaya of Russia,
who is being posthumously awarded the 2007 UNESCO/Guillermo
Cano World Press Freedom Prize.
UN World Summit on the Information
Society (WSIS)
• The United States passionately supported
freedom of the press and the free flow of information at
both phases of the UN World Summit on the Information Society
in Geneva in 2003 and Tunis in 2005.
• The United States supports the free
expression principles listed in the WSIS Declaration of
Principles and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
as they apply to the Internet and the need for them to be
honored even in connection with efforts to promote security
and fight crime.
COUNTRIES WITH CONTINUALLY POOR RECORDS
ON PRESS FREEDOM
• Burma
• North Korea
• Cuba
• Turkmenistan
• Uzbekistan
• Tunisia
• Belarus
• Zimbabwe
• Eritrea
• Equatorial Guinea
• Iran
• Tunisia
• Syria
• China
COUNTRIES WITH DETERIORATING CONDITIONS
FOR PRESS FREEDOM
• Afghanistan
• Pakistan
• Philippines
• Lebanon
• Venezuela
• Russia
• Egypt
(end fact sheet)
###
