Even journalists have a special day dedicated to their hard work to cover global news and the importance of press freedom.
"Journalists and media workers are an essential part of any democracy," President Joe Biden said in a statement on World Press Freedom Day, "because well-informed dissent is critical to building stronger and more successful societies."
Every day, journalists face significant challenges when seeking the truth and reporting it. This includes facing in-person and/or online harassment, threats of violence, death threats and even imprisonment.
For example, journalists are imprisoned simply for doing their jobs. The most notable example is Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was wrongfully detained (as declared by the U.S. State Department) on March 29, 2023, while on assignment in Russia.
The Freedom of the Press Foundation keeps track of press freedom violations in the United States. Click here to view the database of press freedom incidents (ex. equipment seizures, arrests of journalists, denial of access).
This year, Reporters Without Borders unveiled the 2024 World Press Freedom Index. Norway, Denmark and Sweden are at the top of the index, while Afghanistan, Syria and Eritrea are on the bottom. In certain countries, especially those under dictatorships, press freedom is severely restricted and censorship is sometimes used. Check out the map here.
In fact, all stories deserve to be told, no matter how big or small they are. They range from stories about environmental issues, ongoing threats to democracy, the wars in Gaza and Ukraine to other consequential global stories.
Each year, World Press Freedom Day is celebrated on May 3. Celebrations and events happen worldwide leading up to and on this date. So, you are wondering, what is World Press Freedom Day?
According to UNESCO, this day acts as a "reminder to governments of the need to respect their commitment to press freedom." Most importantly, World Press Freedom Day is an important opportunity to:
Provide support for the media, which are targets for restraints, or abolition, of press.
Assess the issues with press freedom, as well as media and professional ethics.
Pay tribute to the journalists who lost their lives doing their jobs.
World Press Freedom was proclaimed by the U.N. General Assembly in 1993, following a recommendation of UNESCO's General Conference in 1991.
Journalists, politicians and media organizations took to social media to highlight the importance of World Press Freedom Day.
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