STRUCTURE 1. IMPACT: There is clear evidence that the existence of a strong, independent and free press powerfully drives economic and social development and poverty reduction.
“A free press is not a luxury.
It’s the start of an equal development.
The media can expose corruption. tragedies, injustices, famine, … but is has too be
Presidente del Banco Mundial, Jim Wolfenson
2. EXAMPLES: No substantial famine has ever occurred in any country with a relatively free press, writes Nobel Prize laureate Amartya Sen. The world-renowned professor of economics argues that the independent media also provide a voice to the neglected and disadvantaged while simultaneously preventing governments from insulating themselves from public criticism.

2. LIMITS: Freedom of speech has to be UNCENSORED, because when you start putting limits or barriers where do you draw the line?
When does it become manipulation of power?

When you give the ability of putting limits in press you create the risk off putting this power in the hands to censure and manipulate news in their personal/ political interest.

A free press is not a luxury.
It’s the start of an equal development.
The media can expose corruption.

They can keep a check on public policy by throwing a spotlight on government action. They let people voice diverse opinions on governance and reform, and help build public consensus to bring about change. Such media help markets work better. They can facilitate trade, transmitting ideas and innovation across boundaries. The media are also important for human development, bringing health and education information to remote villages in countries from Uganda to Nicaragua. But as experience has shown, the independence of the media can be fragile and easily compromised. It is clear that to support development, media need the right environment-in terms of freedoms, capacities, and checks and balances. The World Development Report 2002, "Building Institutions for Markets (rep. no. 22825)," devoted a chapter to the role of the media in development. This volume is an extension of that work. It discusses how media affects development outcomes under different circumstances and presents evidence on what policy environment is needed to enable the media to support economic and political markets and to provide a voice for the disenfranchised. To this end, it draws together the views of academics as well as perspectives from those on the front line-journalists themselves. 1. "No man is an Island, entire of it self," John Donne has told us. And yet the politics of censorship attempts to isolate us from each other. That suppression diminishes our lives, reduces our knowledge, stifles our humanity, and maims our ability to learn from each other. To overcome these handicaps, we need freedom of communication, including press freedom. What can be more important than that? 2. No substantial famine has ever occurred in any country with a relatively free press, writes Nobel Prize laureate Amartya Sen. The world-renowned professor of economics argues that the independent media also provide a voice to the neglected and disadvantaged while simultaneously preventing governments from insulating themselves from public criticism. 3. Freedom of speech has to be free, when you start putting limits or barriers where do you draw the line, and when does it become manipulation of power. When you give the ability of putting limits in press you create the risk off putting this power in the hands to censure and manipulate news in their personal/ political interest. 4. Risk of being infinitely regressive by accepting restrictions in freedom of speech. 5. Obviamente, la Asociación Mundial de Periódicos (WAN) y otras organizaciones de defensa de la libertad de prensa avalan y fomentan esta idea. Pero más allá de que la libertad de prensa sea indudablemente loable desde una perspectiva moral, hay pruebas palpables de que la existencia de una prensa fuerte, independiente y libre impulsa poderosamente el desarrollo económico y social y la lucha contra la pobreza. 6. A free press is not a luxury. It is at the core of equitable development. The media can expose corruption. They can keep a check on public policy by throwing a spotlight on government action. They let people voice diverse opinions on governance and reform, and help build public consensus to bring about change. Such media help markets work better.

En este caso, verificamos que entre los 50 países con mayor libertad económica, 35 pertenecen también a los 50 con mayor grado de desarrollo humano. Las discrepancias existentes son aquí bastante menos acusadas, lo que nos permite inferir (insisto, de manera nada académica) una conclusión de puro sentido común: que libertad económica y desarrollo humano viajan estrechamente juntos.
Tratando de avanzar un poco más en mi pasatiempo, resolví construir un sencillo índice sintético constituido por la suma de los respectivos rankings de cada nación en las tres dimensiones consideradas: libertad económica, libertad de prensa y desarrollo humano. Así, a lo crudo, sin ponderaciones ni consideraciones adicionales. El resultado, sinceramente, me gustó:

SCRIPT: 1. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN CENSORSHIP BEGINS? Who puts limits? Where and how do you draw the line?
We acknowledge that images can be harsh and terrific, but it’s a reality and everyone should be able to see whats going on
Freedom of speech has to be free, when you start putting limits or barriers where do you draw the line, and when does it become manipulation of power. When you give the ability of putting limits in press you create the risk off putting this power in the hands to censure and manipulate news in their personal/ political interest. 2. Risk of being infinitely regressive by accepting restrictions in freedom of speech.
At what moment all our ancestors had to fight for freedom, lest not stop here, lest never go back. knolawge is power, and images stay forever.