Reporters Without Freedom

The following graph illustrates the United States’ press freedom over the past decade and highlights a somewhat perturbing trend.

While I would not go so far as to describe the country as a dictatorship, the trajectory does suggest a drift toward authoritarianism.

Using the World Press Freedom Index - an annual assessment published by Reporters Without Borders that evaluates press freedom in 180 countries, I’ve compiled a simple graph showing both the United States’ relative ranking and overall score over the past ten years. The results were not difficult to assemble, but they are nevertheless concerning.

Rank (Out of 180 Countries)

For further points of reference:

• Norway is ranked number 1
• United Kingdom is ranked number 20
• Russia is ranked number 171
• China is ranked number 178

Score (Out of 100)

Score Chart:

• 85-100: Good
• 70-85: Satisfactory
• 55-70: Problematic
• 40-55: Difficult
• 0-40: Very Serious