According to new data released by Reporters Without Borders, the United States as fallen to 46th place in the world when it comes to freedom of the press. The ranking shows the U.S. behind countries like South Africa, Cyprus, Uruguay, Canada, Germany, Austria, the United Kingdom and many other European countries. RWOB uses the presence of "conflict" as a way to determine press freedom.
This ranking comes after news last year the Department of Justice was (and probably still is) tapping the phones and monitoring emails of reporters from the Associated Press, Fox News and other news outlets. In the case of Fox News, the Department of Justice went so far as to monitor the phone lines of Fox News Chief Washington Correspondent James Rosen and his parents. Fox News executives were also monitored.