According to the most recent Reporters Without Borders (RSF) report, India’s ranking in the 2023 World Press Freedom Index has dropped to 161 out of 180 nations.
Press Freedom Index
- Since 2002, Reporters Without Borders has produced and released a yearly rating of countries known as the PFI.
- It is based on the organization’s own evaluation of the countries’ press freedom records over the preceding year.
- It defines press freedom as “the ability of journalists as individuals and collectives to select, produce, and disseminate news in the public interest independent of political, economic, legal, and social interference, as well as the absence of threats to their physical and mental safety.”
- It aims to represent the level of freedom enjoyed by journalists, news organisations, and internet users in each country, as well as the measures taken by government to protect this freedom.
- It does not analyse the quality of journalism in the countries it evaluates, nor does it look at general human rights breaches.
The rankings’ irony
- India was rated 150 in 2022.
- Pakistan fared better in terms of media freedom, ranking 150th, up from 157th last year.
- Afghanistan came in 152nd place. This raises some concerns regarding the index’s methodology.
Global picture
- Sri Lanka also improved significantly on the index, ranking 135th this year, up from 146th in 2022.
- Norway, Ireland, and Denmark were the top three countries in terms of press freedom, while Vietnam, China, and North Korea were the bottom three.
Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/indias-press-freedom-ranking-slips-11-places-to-161st-on-world-press-freedom-index-report-shows-101683139709413.html#:~:text=Press%20freedom%20in%20India%20has,for%20journalism%20across%20countries%20said.