FREEDOM OF THE PRESS IN AFRICA: TRENDS, TRIBULATIONS, AND TRIUMPHS

FINDINGS FROM FREEDOM HOUSE’S FREEDOM OF THE PRESS REPORT

Presentation at the African Union Mission to the United Nations

May 28, 2013, New York

FREEDOM OF THE PRESS INDEX—BASICS

The 2013 index expands a process conducted since 1980

Provides analytical reports and numerical ratings for 197 countries and territories, written by analysts with regional or country-specific expertise and based both in the U.S. and internationally

Covers print, broadcast, and Internet news media freedom

WHAT IS THE SCORING PROCESS?

Each country is scored out of 100 points, with a higher number indicating less freedom

Possible points are divided among 23 methodology questions, divided into three categories:

• Legal Environment: 0-30 points• Political Environment: 0-40 points• Economic Environment: 0-30 points• Total Score: 0-100 points

Category Breakdown: Free (0-30), Partly Free (31-60), and Not Free (61-100)

WHAT DOES THE INDEX MEASURE?

Examines entire “enabling environment” that contributes to press freedom, broken down into legal, political, and economic categories

Includes both an examination of the media’s ability to operate freely and without fear of repercussions as well as the ability of the public to access diverse and independent sources of information

Examines the role of the state, as well as of non-state actors such as media owners and editors, insurgent groups, or any political, economic, or societal forces that can impact media content or practice

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA PRESS FREEDOM 1980

COUNTRY STATUS:• Free—2 (5%)

• Partly Free—8 (18%)

• Not Free—34 (77%)

Free

Partly Free

Not Free

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA PRESS FREEDOM 1990

Free

Partly Free

Not Free

COUNTRY STATUS:• Free—3 (7%)

• Partly Free—3 (7%)

• Not Free—37 (86%)

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA PRESS FREEDOM 2000

Free

Partly Free

Not Free

COUNTRY STATUS:• Free—6 (13%)

• Partly Free—16 (33%)

• Not Free—26 (54%)

BIGGEST GAINS AND DECLINES 2008-2012,

AFRICA

-20

-15

-13

-7

5

5

6

7

7

7

11

11

14

30

35

-30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40

Mali

Madagascar

Guinea-Bissau

Angola

Ethiopia

South Africa

Rwanda

Zambia

Côte d'Ivoire

Kenya

Liberia

Sierra Leone

Mauritania

Zimbabwe

Niger

Tunisia

Libya

Partly FreeNot Free

-5

-6

ISSUES OF GREATEST CONCERN

Existence and use of harsh laws against journalists• Criminal libel, “insult” laws, vaguely worded laws

regarding national security, public order, or morality

Intimidation, harassment, and violence against journalists• Committed by state and non-state actors• Impunity for perpetrators

Government control of public media• Editors at state-owned media are pressured to cover

ruling party favorably• Due to economic constraints, state-owned

media, especially in the broadcast sector, often have the widest reach in a country

RECENT POSITIVE TRENDS

Passage of Access to Information laws• Laws recently passed in Nigeria, Liberia, and Rwanda• Importance in exposing and fighting

corruption, developing investigative reporting

Continent-wide initiatives such as the Table Mountain Declaration, which calls for decriminalization of libel and for press freedom to be a priority for African governments; decriminalization has also been endorsed by African Commission on Human & Peoples’ Rights

Growth of internet and mobile technology and its potential to strengthen freedom of expression• Internet and mobile spheres are generally free from

government control• Use of mobile phones to call in to popular radio talk

shows increases public participation in societal debate

For additional information:

Please visit our website at

www.freedomhouse.org

or contact Jennifer Dunham at

dunham@freedomhouse.org