Topic: Freedom of the Press
Country: United States
Delegate Name: John Bihn
School: Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All United States position papers GLIMUN 2009 committees
The United States of America is alarmed by the inability of reporters to provide information to the people of their nations because of suppressive governmental policies. Many journalists cannot express accurate and useful information because their government is censoring their works. Many people rely on only government-run sources of media for information. With these types of media being the only types available to the public, not only could it lead to misinformation, it could potentially lead to the brainwashing of an entire country.
However, governments are not the only bodies preventing their work. There are many other groups who do not support reporter’s viewpoints, and they are turning to the assassination of the members of the press. The most recent of which, occurring on October 11, was the death of radio station presenter Fabian Rameriz Lopez. This was the sixth assassination of a member of the press in Mexico this year, something by which the United States is deeply disturbed. Freedom of the press is a freedom protected by the UN and is one of the fundamental principles in the United States’ Bill of Rights. However, a number of countries around the world are having trouble protecting this freedom, such as the Philippines, Somalia and Iraq.
At this conference, the United States desires to enforce past resolutions protecting free press, as freedom of the press is a crucial part of any successful democracy. The United States calls upon the UN to strengthen these resolutions to end the struggles that members of the press face while trying to report information. With these persecutions in mind, the United States supports the effort of UNESCO to spread awareness to the world of this dilemma. Lastly, the United States encourages the fellow members of the United Nations to keep an open mind and work together during this conference.
