Freedom of the press? Bah.

In a new report ranking press freedom around the world, the U.S. comes in at a cool 22, behind Latvia, Lithuania and a slew of Nordic countries. And for a country that tries to lead by example when it comes to democracy, 22 is not the greatest place to be in.

''It's not a good example that we're setting,'' says Andrew Alexander, chair of the Freedom of Information Committee of the American Society of Newspaper Editors. ''When our government clamps down on the press, it gives license to other governments to do same.''

Boise Weekly article

Yeah, that would be my foremost concern.

In 2002, the U.S. came in at number 16.

[...]

Freedom of the press in the U.S. is being pushed aside by the war in Iraq and security concerns, says Tala Dowlatshahi, the New York representative of Reporters Without Borders. The American press, she says, is encountering difficulties from the government like never before.
''They are carefully suppressing press freedom,'' Dowlatshahi says of the government, although she is careful to add that the U.S. is nowhere near as bad as Zimbabwe...

Well, then. We're okay. Like our constant claim that we're not as bad as Saddam Hussein. Great measuring sticks.

Overall, East Asia and the Middle East have the worst records, with Iraq the most deadly place on the planet for journalists (this year, Iraq ranks at 148; in 2002, it was 130th; in 2003, it was 125th).

In large part because the U.S. military shoots them. Read all about it here.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.