World Press Freedom Index

The 2024 World Press Freedom Index, released by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), has placed India at 159, two ranks higher than the previous year. This news has sparked discussions about the state of press freedom in the country, particularly in the context of recent developments and government policies.

Key-findings

• Report Title:“Asia-Pacific: press freedom under yoke of authoritarian governments”
• India's Ranking: India's ranking in the Index has improved slightly, but RSF highlights concerns about the deteriorating press freedom situation in the country.
• Factor responsible for poor ranking: Violence against journalists, highly concentrated media ownership, and political alignment.
• Media Ownership and Political Alignment: RSF raises concerns about the influence of prominent business figures, like MukeshAmbani and Gautam Adani, who have substantial media interests and close ties to the government.
• Emergence of "Godi Media": The report points out the rise of "Godi media," referring to media outlets that mix populism and pro-government propaganda.
• Regional Comparisons: India's press freedom ranking is juxtaposed with those of its neighbors, with some ranking slightly better (e.g., Sri Lanka, Nepal) and others worse (e.g., Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar).

• Other findings:
  • Toppers:Norway and Denmark
  • Bottom countries: Eritrea and Syria
• India’s take on the index: India does not agree to the RSF’s conclusions for various reasons such as very low sample size, little or no weightage to fundamentals of democracy, adoption of a questionable and non-transparent methodology.