Context

• Recently, the World Press Freedom Index 2021 has been published by the international journalism not-for profit body, Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

Key Findings of World Press Freedom Index 2021

• Topped, yet again, by Norway followed by Finland and Denmark, while Eritrea is at the bottom.
• China is ranked 177, and is only above North Korea at 179 and Turkmenistan at 178.
• India is ranked 142, same as last year, after it had consistently slid down from 133 in 2016.
  • India shares the “bad” classification with Brazil, Mexico and Russia.
  • India is one of the world’s most dangerous countries for journalists trying to do their job properly.
  • The report has blamed an environment of intimidation created by the nationalist government for any critical journalist often brandishing them as anti state or anti national.

    

  • In 2016, India’s rank was 133 which has steadily climbed down to 142 in 2020.
• In the South Asian neighbourhood, Nepal is at 106, Sri Lanka at 127, Myanmar (before the coup) at 140, Pakistan at 145 and Bangladesh at 152.

• Journalism, the main vaccine against disinformation, is completely or partly blocked in 73% of the 180 countries.
• Only 12 of the Index’s 180 countries (7%) can claim to offer a favourable environment for journalism.

Back to Basics

About the World Press Freedom Index

• It has been published every year since 2002 by Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF)or Reporters Without Borders.
• Based in Paris, RSF is an independent NGO with consultative status with the United Nations, UNESCO, the Council of Europe and the International Organization of the Francophonie (OIF).
• The Index ranks countries and regions according to the level of freedom available to journalists. However it is not an indicator on the quality of journalism.
• The parameters include pluralism, media independence, media environment and self-censorship, legislative framework, transparency, and the quality of the infrastructure that supports the production of news and information.

Source: IE

Reports and Indices for UPSC 2021 : Click here