Citizens\' Access to Information Limited in lots of Countries

Media freedom is sometimes considered essential for healthy and colourful societies.  But because the hunger for unlimited information grows globally, some governments are doing whatever they could to restrict -- and infrequently block -- access to it.

Everyone wants access to unlimited and unobstructed information but not everyone gets it.

“Seeking and receiving information is a fundamental human right," stresses Joel Simon, Executive Director of the Committee to offer protection to Journalists, an independent organization that promotes press freedom worldwide.  His organization recently published a report at the world's 10 most-censored nations. The East African country of Eritrea is on the top of the list.



“Eritrea is only completely closed," he explained.  "No journalists are becoming in.  There aren't any international bureaus.  It's completely censored. ”

But Dawit Haile from the Eritrean embassy in Washington says the report is groundless.

"There are many and lots of styles of satellite dishes which are available during the city," Haile noted, "but additionally the countryside - also the town is stuffed with internet cafes, and other people read all types of knowledge.”

Eritrea seriously isn't alone. This year's CPJ list includes countries like North Korea, Syria, Iran, Equatorial Guinea, Uzbekistan, Burma, Cuba, Belarus, and a brand new entry from the center East.

“Saudi Arabia has long been a closed society," explained Simon of the CPJ.  "a variety of political criticism that would be defined as blasphemy, as criticism of spiritual institutions, is heavily suppressed.”

No immediate response to the report was available from the Saudi embassy in Washington.

Although professional journalists continue to play a critical role, more of the info flow is being provided by citizen journalists, through blogs and social media platforms. Mark Jurkowitz is with the Pew Research Center's Excellence in Journalism project - a non-partisan and non-profit organization.

“We have seen journalism, or at the very least the disseminating of reports and data, move from just those that had the facility to possess a printing press or a TV station to frankly almost anyone, any citizen. That's a tremendously important development,” noted Jurkowitz.

In the age of data overload,  it will probably sometimes be hard to grasp what's true.  And governments are still ready to censor information - protecting their very own interests, often on the expense of people's right to understand.  But despite the never-ending challenges of reports gathering, most journalists exit on a daily basis with an easy goal of giving the viewer, listener or reader the reality.  Most journalists take that role seriously, some even paying the last word price. Up to now this year, 17 journalists have died.

From WhatNewsToday.net

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