Press Freedom
Europe vs United States
The US ranks #57 on the Press Freedom Index. The top 10? All European.
Press Freedom Index 2024
Reporters Without Borders ranks 180 countries. The US at #57 — behind Ghana.
Norway
#0
9 consecutive years at #1
Denmark
#0
Strong public broadcasting
Sweden
#0
Press freedom since 1766!
United States
#0
Down from #32 in 2013
Press Freedom Ranking (2024)
Key Differences
🇪🇺 Europe
Public broadcasting
Strong & independent
BBC, ARD/ZDF, VRT, France TV
Media ownership
Regulated
Anti-concentration laws
Journalist safety
High
Rare physical threats
🇺🇸 United States
Media landscape
Hyper-partisan
Echo chambers left & right
Media ownership
Concentrated
A handful of corporations dominate US media
Journalist safety
Deteriorating
"Enemy of the people" rhetoric
Fair Context
The First Amendment provides some of the world's strongest legal protections for journalists, and the US has a rich tradition of investigative journalism.