“This year’s index sees many changes in the rankings, changes that
reflect a year that was incredibly rich in developments, especially in
the Arab world,” Reporters Without Borders said today as it released its
10th annual press freedom index. “Many media paid dearly for their
coverage of democratic aspirations or opposition movements. Control of
news and information continued to tempt governments and to be a question
of survival for totalitarian and repressive regimes. The past year also
highlighted the leading role played by netizens in producing and
disseminating news.