The Gallup Poll does surveys in 132 countries. Between 2010 and 2013, they surveyed around 1,000 adults in each of those countries about whether they thought their country had a "free press". It may disappoint American exceptionalists, but the United States didn't finish first in that survey. It was 14th, as only about 85% of U.S. citizens said we have a free press.
Frankly, I'm surprised we finished that high. I will admit that the United States doesn't have the government restrictions that plague many other countries. But that's because the same entity that controls our government, also controls our press -- a few giant corporations. Most of the press in the United States (the TV channels and newspapers) are owned by just a few giant corporations, which means Americans that get all their news from the major media only get one side of the story (the corporate side) -- especially when it comes to politics, economics, and the economy.
Isn't a press controlled by the corporations just as bad a one controlled by the government? Can either truly be called a "free press"?
