WORLDWIDE PRESS FREEDOM INDEX

Reporters Without Borders has released its 2005 press freedom index. Denmark tops the list, Australia is 31st and the USA 44th. Here's the summary of how the report was complied:

Reporters Without Borders compiled this Index of 167 countries by asking its partner organizations (14 freedom of expression groups from around the world) and its network of 130 correspondents, as well as journalists, researchers, legal experts and human rights activists, to answer 50 questions designed to assess a country’s level of press freedom. Some countries are not mentioned for lack of information about them.

The 50 survey questions aren't shown. The page explaining how the index was complied displays this disclaimer:

The index should in no way be taken as an indication of the quality of the press in the countries concerned.

So the point of the survey is...