Ross Sheil, Staff Reporter
JAMAICA HAS been ranked 34th in an annual world survey of press freedoms. Reporters Without Borders ranked a total of 167 countries in its fourth annual World Press Freedom Index. Despite falling 10 places since last year's survey, Jamaica is now ranked above the United States which fell from joint 22nd to joint 43rd.
Eighteen broadcasting licences in Jamaica have produced 21 radio and four television stations. There are 52 subscriber television licencees.
From three daily newspapers in Jamaica, The Gleaner is the oldest in the Western Hemisphere, outdating even The New York Times.
"I don't know what more levels of freedom could be required on the part of legislation or Government action," said Information Minister Burchell Whiteman. "I'm quite satisfied we are in a healthy state and long may it remain so."
WELCOME STANDING
President of the Press Association of Jamaica and news director at The Sunday Herald, Desmond Richards, welcomed Jamaica's standing.
"Although we have fallen, the fact that we are ranked above the U.S., which is the world's centre of freedom and democracy, that shows we are doing something right," said Mr. Richards.
Jamaica, he said, had a "... relatively free press, as journalists are still free to collect, process and disseminate information without being threatened."
Further positives, he added, were a lack of sanctions by the state against journalists and the new Freedom of Information Act of which he admitted there were still hurdles. He, however, remained concerned about libel laws which he thought intimidated some media houses.
PERFORMED WELL
Canute James, senior lecturer at the Caribbean Institute of Media and Communication (CARIMAC) at the University of the West Indies, Mona, said Jamaica had performed well as a developing country, "... with freedom for anyone with a cellphone to call a talk radio show."
Reporters Without Borders, which campaigns for press freedom internationally, made the report with the help of similar groups worldwide, its network of 130 correspondents, as well as journalists, researchers, legal experts and human rights activists, to answer 50 questions on a country's press freedom.
Among Caribbean countries, Trinidad and Tobago came on top, having been ranked 12th in the world, while Cuba came last in the region at 161st overall. North Korea has the least free media in the world, according to the survey. First place is jointly held by nine north European countries.
