We're Number 64! We're Number 64!

The annual Reporters Without Borders (RSF) World Press Freedom Index just came out, and Norway was #1, just as it was last year. Explaining why that country had scored so well, RSF stated that "Norway’s legal framework safeguarding press freedom is robust. The media market is vibrant, featuring a strong public service broadcaster and a diversified private sector; and publishing companies maintain extensive editorial independence." But the organization, which monitors freedom of the press all over the world, expressed serious concern about what was happening in many other countries, the U.S. among them. 

In fact, RSF stated that press freedom world-wide is at a 25-year low, and it noted that in an increasing number of countries, journalism is being criminalized: at the worst end of the spectrum are countries where journalists are put in prison (often for spurious charges like criticizing the country's leader); in a few countries, reporting is so dangerous that journalists are being killed. But even in countries where no journalists are in jail, reporters are regularly being threatened and harassed; and new laws are being put into place to make it more difficult to report anything those in power do not want the public to know. 

As for the United States, the index noted that the presidency of Donald Trump is a factor in our declining press freedom numbers. As I have discussed previously, he regularly insults and bullies reporters (especially female journalists), but it's not just the name-calling that's the problem. Also problematic is his tendency to constantly accuse the media of lying or being "fake"-- this is a tactic we are seeing from autocratic regimes all over the world. The relentless criticism has taken a toll: telling people repeatedly that reporters can't be trusted has contributed to an atmosphere where a majority of people don't believe anything journalists say; they prefer the partisan opinion hosts who never question the president's point of view. Meanwhile, the president has made reporting more challenging by implemented policies to exclude certain reporters from briefings, while installing friendly commentators in their place. He has pressured media companies, many of which were trying to get approval for mergers, to give him more favorable coverage, and he installed allies of his in leadership positions at those companies. 

As RSF explained, "Since returning to the White House in 2025, President Trump has extended the war on the press he launched while running for his first presidential term. He has censored government data, attempted to dismantle US public broadcasters, weaponized independent government agencies to punish media that criticize his actions, halted aid funding for media freedom internationally, sued disfavored outlets, and applied pressure to install cronies to lead others. Press freedom in the United States continues to decline as a result of these actions."   

So, here we are, a country that used to be the envy of the world for its free press. Now, we are #64 on the Press Freedom Index. Other countries are seeing their press freedoms get weakened or diminished, but I never thought this would happen to us as quickly as it did. I know that some people will read this and think, "Well, it's the reporters that are to blame; they shouldn't have lied about the president." Others will read this and think, "There are still plenty of places to get information and besides, I don't really care what's going on in the news that much." But I hope that some will read this and agree with me that a free press is essential for a functioning democracy. Insulting and demonizing hardworking reporters is not a good thing. Allowing a handful of the president's cronies to buy up major media outlets is not a good thing either. 

Few presidents have ever liked the way the press covered them, but the answer isn't to stifle or censor the press. As Thomas Jefferson reminds us, "Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost." Perhaps next year, we'll start climbing back up the Press Freedom Index. But I hope that sometime very soon, the public will realize that Jefferson was right: without freedom of the press, those in power will have nobody to hold them to account. Now is an excellent time to commit to supporting local journalism (many smaller public radio stations and non-profit publications are doing wonderful work, but they need your help). Now is also an excellent time to teach your kids (or even yourself) about media literacy: in a time of autocracy, facts matter more than ever-- because without access to the facts, and without freedom of the press, our liberty, and our democracy, could truly be lost.  

The Waiting is the Hardest Part: Some Thoughts About the Butterfly Effect

When I was growing up, people were a lot more patient than they are now. I know that's a generality, but based on what I've seen, this is a generation that doesn't like to wait. If you were a kid in the 50s and 60s, you had no choice. Waiting was just a part of life. For example, there was no expectation of instant communication: if you wanted to talk to someone in another city, you either called them long distance (which could be expensive) or wrote them a letter. If you wanted to find out some information you needed for school, you went to the library and looked it up. If you missed your favorite TV show, all you could do was wait for it to show up in summer re-runs. And if the deejay just played your favorite song, all you could do was keep listening, and chances are, he'd play it again.

This all might sound rather unpleasant, but it wasn't. In fact, it had its advantages. The good thing about waiting was it gave you something to look forward to. When that person is another city got your letter, you might get one back in return. The library was worth the trip, because it always had some amazing books. Sooner or later, summer re-runs came along (and so did summer vacation). Listening for your favorite song often brought results.  And because you had to wait, you didn't take it for granted; and you were really glad when it finally happened.

To be honest, I'm not convinced things are better today. Okay fine, it's much easier for folks to get what they want. They can hear their favorite song online or watch their favorite TV show on demand. They don't have to leave their house to get information for school because their computer does the searching, and ChatGPT can even do the writing (not ethical, but I know a lot of students who use it). Because communication moves at such lightning speed, when someone sends a text, they're frustrated if they don't get an immediate response. It's a world where it seems the expectation of instant gratification is everywhere. 

But is that a good thing? Expecting things to happen NOW certainly keeps folks from seeing the bigger picture. Sometimes, it may seem like nothing is happening, like nothing will ever change. And yet, slowly, almost imperceptibly, things are unfolding, although perhaps they take more time for us to see them than we might like. I was teaching about the Butterfly Effect earlier tonight: you may have heard it expressed as the fact that a butterfly flapping its wings in Brazil could eventually set off an earthquake in Texas. The creator of the theory, a meteorologist named Edward Lorenz, was speaking metaphorically. It's doubtful that butterfly wings, no matter how hard they flap, can cause an earthquake. But the point is that even a small and seemingly insignificant event can eventually lead to unexpected and very noticeable changes.     

And that's a lesson worth remembering: none of us can predict when a small action could make a big difference later on. Perhaps it's a kind word, perhaps it's a gesture of encouragement, and maybe at the time it doesn't seem like it accomplished very much. But kind words and positive actions can help to build a foundation for other kind words and other positive actions. It's true that if you are waiting for something to change immediately, you may end up disappointed. But that doesn't mean things won't change in the future, as a result of that act of kindness you performed today. So, perhaps you should think of yourself as a butterfly. You might not cause an earthquake, but you might set into motion a chain of events that gradually makes the world a better place. And in a world where nobody likes to wait, knowing that things can and will get better seems like something worth waiting for.