United States Political Orientation
Government
Government Type: Constitutional Federal Republic
Leader: President Joe Biden
Political Party: Democratic
Political Position: Center-Left
Press Freedom
MBFC’s Country Freedom Rating: 77.11 – Mostly Free
World Press Freedom Rank: USA 45/180
According to Reporters without Borders, “Despite Improvements, Troubling Vital Signs For Press Freedom Persist. The first 100 days of Joseph R. Biden’s presidency saw healthy improvements in government accountability and transparency. While the most obvious symptoms of an ailing democracy may have cleared up, many chronic, underlying conditions — from the disappearance of local news to the ongoing and widespread distrust of mainstream media — remain. In fact, the situation worsened considerably during President Donald J. Trump’s final year in office, which saw nearly 400 journalists assaulted and more than 130 detained — unprecedented numbers according to the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker.”
Media Ownership and Government Analysis
The Government does not subsidize media in the United States except for National Public Radio, PBS stations, and Voice of America. In general, the Government has minimal direct control over the press. However, 90% of the USA’s media is controlled by 6 corporations, which causes a lack of diversity in ownership and creates a very strong Pro-Corporate Bias. In turn, these corporations may receive financial incentives from the Government, such as tax breaks that may influence their direction. Finally, due to fear of harassment, journalists may indirectly self-censor reporting against the government.
| Top 5 USA Media Sources by Web Rank |
| CNN |
| New York Times |
| Fox News |
| Washington Post |
| Forbes |
Last Updated on May 13, 2023 by Media Bias Fact Check
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