Why is it in the news?
- India’s score in the World Press Freedom Index fell from 36.62 to 31.28 over the last year, according to Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
More about the news
- Despite India’s rank improving from 161 in 2023 to 159 in 2024, it was due to other countries slipping in their rankings, not due to an improvement in India’s press freedom situation.
- Norway and Denmark topped the RSF table, while Eritrea ranked at the bottom, with Syria just above it.
- Press freedoms globally have declined by an average of 7.6 points, with political authorities posing threats to press freedom worldwide, according to RSF.
- The U.S. press freedom score fell from 71.22 to 66.59, with its rank deteriorating from 45 to 55, attributed in part to the Trump presidency’s attitude towards the media, labelling them as enemies of the state.
| About World Press Freedom Index
· It has been published every year since 2002 by Reporters Without Borders or Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF). · RSF is an independent NGO based in Paris that has consultative status with the United Nations, UNESCO, the Council of Europe, and the International Organisation of the Francophonie (OIF). · OIF is a 54 french speaking nations collective. · The report ranks 180 countries based on their level of press freedom, taking into account factors such as censorship, media independence, and the safety of journalists. However, it is not an indicator on the quality of journalism.
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