The World Press Freedom Index 2024 was published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on World Press Freedom Day i.e., on 3rd May 2024. This was the 22th edition of the World Press Freedom Index.
The World Press Freedom Index is published annually by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), ranking the best and worst press freedom in different countries.
- The 2024 edition of the World Press Freedom Index assesses the state of journalism in 180 countries and territories. It ranks 180 countries based on the freedom of journalism, reporting, and media functioning.
As per report, press freedom around the world is being threatened by the very people who should be its guarantors – political authorities. This is clear from the latest annual World Press Freedom Index produced by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). This finding is based on the fact that, of the five indicators used to compile the ranking, it is the political indicator that has fallen most, registering a global average fall of 7.6 points.
India's ranking in the World Press Freedom Index 2024
» India has been ranked 159th in the World Press Freedom Index 2024 with a score of 31.28, up two places from last year.
India’s ranking based on five contextual indicators:
- Political Indicators: Rank- 159, Score- 21.58
- Economic Indicators: Rank- 157, Score- 31.67
- Legislative Indicators: Rank- 143, Score- 40.87
- Social Indicators: Rank- 156, Score- 33.33
- Security Indicators: Rank- 162, Score- 28.97
» With violence against journalists, highly concentrated media ownership, and political alignment, press freedom in India is in crisis.
» Last year, India’s ranking was 161 among 180 countries. India still lags behind countries like Turkey, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, which are ranked 158, 152 and 150 respectively.
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Ranking of India’s Neighboring Countries:
Nepal 74th, Bangladesh 165th, China 172nd, and Myanmar 171st
Top and Bottom Countries:
- Norway (1st), Denmark (2nd), Sweden (3rd), Netherlands (4th) and Finland (5th) are at the top.
- Iran (176th), North Korea (177th), Afghanistan (178th), Syria (179th), and Eritrea (180th) are at the bottom.
Methodology used in World Press Freedom Index 2024:
The ranking of the Index is based on a score ranging from 0 to 100 that is assigned to each country or territory.
- 100 being the best possible score (the highest possible level of press freedom) and 0 the worst.
This score is calculated on the basis of two components:
- a quantitative tally of abuses against media and journalists in connection with their work;
- a qualitative analysis of the situation in each country or territory based on the responses of press freedom specialists (including journalists, researchers, academics and human rights defenders) to an RSF questionnaire available in 24 languages.
Each country or territory’s score is evaluated using five contextual indicators that reflect the press freedom situation in all of its complexity:
- Political context
- Legal framework
- Economic context
- Sociocultural context
- Safety
About RWB:
- The World Press Freedom Index has been published every year since 2002 by Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF) or Reporters Without Borders.
- Reporters Without Borders is an international non-profit organisation governed by principles of democratic governance. It was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Paris, France.
- Recognised as a public interest organisation in France since 1995, RSF has consultative status with the United Nations, UNESCO, the Council of Europe and the International Organization of Francophonie (OIF).