1. 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

2. 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

3. 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)

4. 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

6. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA PRESS FREEDOM 1980
COUNTRY STATUS:
• Free—2 (5%)
• Partly Free—8
(18%)
• Not Free—34 (77%)
Free
Partly Free
Not Free

7. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA PRESS FREEDOM 1990
Free
Partly Free
Not Free
COUNTRY STATUS:
• Free—3 (7%)
• Partly Free—3 (7%)
• Not Free—37 (86%)

8. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA PRESS FREEDOM 2000
Free
Partly Free
Not Free
COUNTRY STATUS:
• Free—6 (13%)
• Partly Free—16
(33%)
• Not Free—26 (54%)

11. 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 Free
Not Free
-5
-6

12. 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

13. 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

14. For additional information:
Please visit our website at
www.freedomhouse.org
or contact Jennifer Dunham at
dunham@freedomhouse.org