Freedom House's annual press freedom index, now covering 195 countries and territories, has tracked trends in media freedom worldwide since 1980. Freedom of the Press 2008 provides comparative rankings and examines the legal environment for the media, political pressures that influence reporting, and economic factors that affect access to information. The survey is the most authoritative assessment of media freedom around the world. Its findings are widely utilized by policymakers, scholars, press freedom advocates, journalists, and international institutions.