World Press Freedom Index 2024

About World Press Freedom Index 2024:

• It is an annual report released by the global media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
• The index ranks 180 countries on the ability of journalists to work and report freely and independently.
• The press freedom questionnaire covers five categories: political context, legal framework, economic context, sociocultural context, and security. 
• It only deals with press freedom and does not measure the quality of journalism in the countries it assesses, nor does it look at human rights violations in general.
• Highlights of the 2024 Index:
  • It shows an overall decline in press freedom globally and a steep rise in the political repression of journalists and independent media outlets, noting that press freedoms fell by an average of 7.6 points globally.
  • Norway topped the ranking, while Denmark was on the second rank.
  • The countries where press freedom is “good” are all in Europe, and more specifically within the European Union, which has adopted its first media freedom law (EMFA). 
  • The Maghreb and Middle East regions performed the worst in terms of restrictions on press freedom by government forces.
  • Eritrea was at the bottom of the list, with Syria just ahead of it. 
• India’s Ranking:
  • India’s rank improved from 161 in 2023 to 159 in 2024, but this was because other countries had slipped in their rankings. 
  • Scores for India dropped (worsened) in all but the security indicator.

India is ranked behind Turkey, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, which are ranked at positions 158, 152, and 150, respectively.

Q1: What is the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA)?

The European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) will establish a common framework for media services in the EU’s internal market and introduce measures aimed at protecting journalists and media providers from political interference, while also making it easier for them to operate across the EU’s internal borders.

The new rules will guarantee the right of citizens to access free and plural information and define the responsibility of member states to provide the appropriate conditions and framework to protect it.

Source: India press freedom score falls, says Reporters sans Frontieres