01. 05. 2014

SERBIA AGAIN 74th IN MEDIA FREEDOM

1.5.2014 (Beta, Danas) - Washington - Last year Serbia held the 74th place in media freedom, while global media freedom was the lowest in the past decade, according to 2013 media freedom report published today by Freedom House.

In the last year's report on media freedom for 2012 Serbia was in the 74th position, sharing it with Hungary and Montenegro.

In the most recent Freedom House report Serbia shares the 74th position with Mongolia, Mali, and Hong Kong.

As for the former Yugoslav republics, Slovenia is in position 39, Montenegro 78, Croatia 83, Kosovo 98, Bosnia and Herzegovina 103, and Macedonia 122.

The first three places for media freedom in 2013 are shared between Sweden, Norway, and the Netherlands, while the next two places are shared by Finland and Belgium.

In this year's report, Freedom House states that freedom of the media in the world in 2013 fell to the lowest level in the last ten years.

The reason for this is the decline of media freedom, especially in Egypt, Libya, and Jordan, as in Turkey, Ukraine, and several East African countries.

The report adds that the decline of media freedom in 2013 was the result of aspirations of governments, particularly in authoritarian states or in polarized political environment, to control media content.

The report also adds that media freedom in a number of countries has also been adversely affected by owners of private media, especially those with close links with governments or ruling parties, who have influenced the editorial policies or fired key personnel after taking over previously independent media outlets.

The report states that influential and authoritarian powers like China and Russia have continued with pressure against local print and broadcast media, while simultaneously attempting to control the independent views expressed either in blogs or foreign information sources.

Additionally, the decline in media freedom was recorded in the U.S., where media were subjected to government attempts to block the reporting of national security issues, the report said.