Another one of my "why I'm still here (in Europe)" posts...

http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=4116

Just thinking over my vacation in Italy :-)

Jens

On Sat, 03 May 2003 16:06:52 +0200, Jens Arne Maennig
wrote:

    >Another one of my "why I'm still here (in Europe)" posts...
    >http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=4116
    >Just thinking over my vacation in Italy :-)

Interesting survey. Unfortunately, as with most surveys we get only a
sketchy glimpse of the methodology. Transformation of (qualitative)
survey questions into (quantitative) numerical scores should always be
viewed with some skepticism, even when those conducting the survey
have good intentions.

________________________________________
Unit #02582: Endangered Old-Growth Redwood
Toothpick Artisans, LLC [TINEOGRTALLC]
----
One upon a tom in a far off distant land far across the sea miles
away from anyway over the hills as the crow barks 39 peoble lived
miles away from anywhere on a little island on a distant land.

The Crab of Ineffable Wisdom wrote:
    > On Sat, 03 May 2003 16:06:52 +0200, Jens Arne Maennig
    > wrote:
    >
    >
    >>Another one of my "why I'm still here (in Europe)" posts...
    >>http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=4116
    >>Just thinking over my vacation in Italy :-)
    >
    >
    > Interesting survey. Unfortunately, as with most surveys we get only a
    > sketchy glimpse of the methodology. Transformation of (qualitative)
    > survey questions into (quantitative) numerical scores should always be
    > viewed with some skepticism, even when those conducting the survey
    > have good intentions.

Indeed.

There are a variety of countries in which minors' names may not be
published (the UK springs to mind) which is a press restriction which
may be for the public good. The existence and manner of application of
libel laws can also be quite complex. And finally, a gangster blows up a
newspaper building killing 10 reporters might catapult a country like
the US to a bad rating because reporters were killed.

It is my belief that reporters in France get special tax breaks. How
does this rate for freedom of the press? Brownie points perhaps?

Bernard Higonnet

On Sat, 03 May 2003 18:17:52 +0200, "Bernard T. Higonnet"
wrote:

    >The Crab of Ineffable Wisdom wrote:
    >> On Sat, 03 May 2003 16:06:52 +0200, Jens Arne Maennig
    >> wrote:
    >>
    >>
    >>>Another one of my "why I'm still here (in Europe)" posts...
    >>>http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=4116
    >>>Just thinking over my vacation in Italy :-)
    >>
    >>
    >> Interesting survey. Unfortunately, as with most surveys we get only a
    >> sketchy glimpse of the methodology. Transformation of (qualitative)
    >> survey questions into (quantitative) numerical scores should always be
    >> viewed with some skepticism, even when those conducting the survey
    >> have good intentions.
    >Indeed.
    >There are a variety of countries in which minors' names may not be
    >published (the UK springs to mind) which is a press restriction which
    >may be for the public good. The existence and manner of application of
    >libel laws can also be quite complex. And finally, a gangster blows up a
    >newspaper building killing 10 reporters might catapult a country like
    >the US to a bad rating because reporters were killed.
    >It is my belief that reporters in France get special tax breaks. How
    >does this rate for freedom of the press? Brownie points perhaps?
    >Bernard Higonnet

Freedom of the press in the US took a sizeable hit this week. A website that
was urging people to boycott certain movie stars who opposed the Iraqi war, was
shut down under a threat from William Morris Agency (the actors did not even
have the guts to make the threat themselves). The web hosting service decided
it was easier to kick the domain out than face even an invalid libel suit.
--
"If this is coffee, please bring me some tea. If this is tea, please bring me some coffee."
- Abraham Lincoln

"Bernard T. Higonnet" wrote:
    >
    >
    > It is my belief that reporters in France get special tax breaks. How
    > does this rate for freedom of the press? Brownie points perhaps?

Sounds eminently civilized, provided they are "across the board" tax
breaks, with no restrictions placed upon the reporter's affiliations or
expressed opinions.

well, er, if you look up "boycott celebrity" with Google, you'll find many
sites alive and well.


    > Freedom of the press in the US took a sizeable hit this week. A website
that
    > was urging people to boycott certain movie stars who opposed the Iraqi
war, was
    > shut down under a threat from William Morris Agency (the actors did not
even
    > have the guts to make the threat themselves). The web hosting service
decided
    > it was easier to kick the domain out than face even an invalid libel suit.

"Bernard T. Higonnet" a écrit dans le message de news:
[email protected]...

    > There are a variety of countries in which minors'
    > names may not be published (the UK springs to mind)
    > which is a press restriction which may be for
    > the public good.

How would such a restriction be for the public good?

    > And finally, a gangster blows up a newspaper
    > building killing 10 reporters might catapult
    > a country like the US to a bad rating because
    > reporters were killed.

The U.S. has a bad rating because it is putting journalists in prison.

    > It is my belief that reporters in France get
    > special tax breaks.

No, they do not.

    > How does this rate for freedom of the press?
    > Brownie points perhaps?

French freedom of the press leaves much to be desired. Draconian
jurisprudence with respect to so-called image rights is a very serious
problem.

"EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" a écrit dans le
message de news: [email protected]...

    > Sounds eminently civilized, provided they are
    > "across the board" tax breaks, with no restrictions
    > placed upon the reporter's affiliations or
    > expressed opinions.

They don't get any tax breaks.

Mxsmanic wrote:
    > "EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" a écrit dans le
    > message de news: [email protected]...
    >
    >
    >>Sounds eminently civilized, provided they are
    >>"across the board" tax breaks, with no restrictions
    >>placed upon the reporter's affiliations or
    >>expressed opinions.
    >
    >
    > They don't get any tax breaks.

You might want to take a look at
http://www.ddm.gouv.fr/presse_ecrite...despresse.html

The breaks aren't enormous, but they're there.

Bernard Higonnet

Mxsmanic wrote:
    > "Bernard T. Higonnet" a écrit dans le message de news:

    >>It is my belief that reporters in France get
    >>special tax breaks.
    >
    >
    > No, they do not.

You might want to take a look at
http://www.ddm.gouv.fr/presse_ecrite...despresse.html

The breaks aren't enormous, but they're there.

Bernard Higonnet

"Bernard T. Higonnet" a écrit dans le message de news:
[email protected]...

    > The breaks aren't enormous, but they're there.

All I see for journalists is two very minor breaks on Social Security.
That's a drop in the bucket out of the huge tax burden that any independent
worker must assume in France. Additionally, there are bizarre restrictions
and conditions attached to certain types of national press credentials that
make things worse.

In article ,
"Mxsmanic" wrote:

    > "Bernard T. Higonnet" a écrit dans le message de news:
    > [email protected]...
    >
    > > The breaks aren't enormous, but they're there.
    >
    > All I see for journalists is two very minor breaks on Social Security.
    > That's a drop in the bucket out of the huge tax burden that any independent
    > worker must assume in France. Additionally, there are bizarre restrictions
    > and conditions attached to certain types of national press credentials that
    > make things worse.
    >
    >

The press receive credentials from the Government and tax breaks, that's
a very close connection for an independent press. These credentials,
are they used for covering non governmental reporting ?

jay
Sat, May 3, 2003
mailto:[email protected]

--

Legend insists that as he finished his abject...
Galileo muttered under his breath: "Nevertheless, it does move."

In article , Bernard T. Higonnet
writes
    >There are a variety of countries in which minors' names may not be
    >published (the UK springs to mind) which is a press restriction which
    >may be for the public good. T

I have, however, notices, that when an ASBO is imposed, the name of the
young criminal is published - for obvious reasons.

--
Marie Lewis

    > Freedom of the press in the US took a sizeable hit this week. A website
that
    > was urging people to boycott certain movie stars who opposed the Iraqi
war, was
    > shut down under a threat from William Morris Agency (the actors did not
even
    > have the guts to make the threat themselves). The web hosting service
decided
    > it was easier to kick the domain out than face even an invalid libel suit.
    > --

That's not really a freedom of the press issue, that is an ISP making a
reasonable decision. Why should the ISP continue to host a site (for
presumably regular fees) that could risk losing them a fortune from more
than just the legal threat (i.e. people spamming their servers,
boycotts...)?

They would be foolish not to take it down.
---
DFM

"Go Fig" a écrit dans le message de news:
[email protected]...

    > The press receive credentials from the Government
    > and tax breaks, that's a very close connection
    > for an independent press.

Yup.

    > These credentials, are they used for covering non
    > governmental reporting ?

They can be, but private organizations can require or disregard any
credentials they want. For example, I don't have the "official" press card
in France (one of the requirements is that you earn at least half your
income from press work), but I still get accredited for non-government
events. I would need the official press card to shoot at government
functions and in certain public situations, however.

For example, I once photographed from behind police lines at a demonstration
without any problem, until someone asked if I had the official press card.
When I said no, they told me that I had to move out of that area. I presume
that with the card, they would have let me stay.

There is no _law_ in France that grants special photo privileges to
journalists with press cards, but it often works that way in practice (as in
the U.S.).

However, the relationship between the "legitimate" press and the government
is far more incestuous in France than in many other "free press" countries.
The leading press organization, the AFP, receives so much money in
government subsidies that it is often referred to as the French incarnation
of TASS; the flow of money gives it the ability to unfairly compete with
other organizations (and reduces its objectivity substantially).