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Freedom of the press is falling all over the world, and Italy is not exempt from this form of degradation. In the 2009 report of Freedom House (autonomous organization based in the United States, which aims the promotion of freedom around the world), because our country is downgraded for the first time in the country 'free' (free) to 'partly free' (Partly Free), the only case in Western Europe along with Turkey.
The reasons for the downgrading of Italy are many, say the authors of the report, which examines press freedom in 195 countries for nearly 30 years (since 1980): "While Western Europe still enjoys the most extensive freedom of the press, Italy has been relegated to the category of countries, partly free, since freedom of speech was limited by new laws, courts, the growing harassment of journalists by organized crime and right-wing groups, and because of the excessive concentration of media ownership. "
More specifically, Freedom House recognizes that, in general, in Italy" freedom of speech and press are constitutionally guaranteed and generally respected, although the concentration of media ownership. "But it is precisely the problem lies. Of course, there is the Gasparri law, against which the organization endorses the criticisms that introducing rules that favor the current Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. There are many processes for defamation against many journalists, Freedom House cites some of the most striking including those borne by Alexander Stille and Marco Travaglio.
But the point really sore, in the opinion of the organization, is "the unusually high concentration of media ownership by European standards." Berlusconi, say the authors of the report without reservations, through the government controls the RAI and Mediaset owns. And the crisis has certainly not helped La7 in this view.
Among European countries, Greece has also suffered a significant setback: it precedes the Italy of one location, and yet maintains the assessment 'free', unlike in our country. The fourth last position in Western Europe was occupied by Greece, preceded the same opinion, Malta, France and Cyprus. In the overall standings, Italy is the seventy-first place, tied with Benin and Israel (all three first 'Partly free' table).
the most liberal countries of Western Europe in terms of press freedom, are, according to Freedom House, Iceland (first), Finland and Norway (seconds), Denmark and Sweden (quarters) . The same countries are also topped the overall standings. The first non-European country in the world ranking of press freedom compiled by Freedom House are New Zealand and the Republic of Palau, in eleventh place on a par with Liechtenstein. The United States had only the twenty-fourth place, tied with the Czech Republic and Lithuania (are largely still among the countries that enjoy a free press).
But the European situation, apart from the significant deterioration of the climate in Italy is very positive compared to other areas of the world. "The journalist profession is currently on the ropes - says Jennifer Windsor, executive director of Freedom House - and is struggling to stay alive, exhausted from the pressures of governments and other powerful players and the global economic crisis. The press is the first defense of democracy and its vulnerability has enormous implications for his estate, if journalists can not be taken to maintain their traditional role of controllers of powers. "
Just over one third of the 195 countries surveyed currently provide the freedom of the press are labeled 'free' only 70 states, 36% of the sample. Sixty-one (31%) are 'partly free' and 64 (33%) are 'not free'. According to the survey, only 17% of the world's population lives in countries that enjoy a free press.
The situation is worsening, as well as in Italy, in East Asia , while for some countries of the former Soviet Union, the Middle East and North Africa Freedom House is about real intimidation of the free press. Significant progress has been recorded from the Maldives, moved from 'Not free' to the 'free' by adopting a new constitution that protects freedom of expression and the release of a prominent journalist, detained in prison.
decided there were worse in Cambodia ('not free'), the country in which increased forms of intimidation and violence against journalists, Hong Kong ('Partly free'), due to excessive forms of pressure exerted from China, Taiwan and even China, Bulgaria, Croatia, Bosnia and Russia and Israel, where the pressures on journalists have increased sharply in the last conflict in Gaza, Senegal and Madagascar, Mexico, Bolivia, Ecuador, Guatemala and Nicaragua.
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