India’s position drops two spots in the 2020 World Press Freedom Index, with it now being ranked 142nd out of 180 countries. This continues a downward trend for the country, despite some improvements in the security situation for journalists. A range of factors have contributed to this decline, including political pressure on the media, and hate campaigns targeted against journalists on social media.
Norway Tops the Index for Fourth Consecutive Year
Norway is enjoying its fourth year in first place on the World Press Freedom Index. In contrast, South Asia’s performance was dismal, with Pakistan falling three places to rank 145th, and Bangladesh also dropping one place to rank 151st. China, positioned at 177th, is a mere three spots above North Korea, which occupies the last spot at 180th.
The Impact of Covid-19 on Journalism
The next decade will be crucial for the future of journalism. The Covid-19 pandemic has underscored and amplified the numerous crises threatening the right to freely reported, independent, diverse, and reliable information.
Analysis of India’s Performance
Several reasons can be pinpointed for the decline in India’s performance in the index. There is significant pressure on the media to align with the nationalist government’s Hindu-centric narrative. Also, there are “coordinated hate campaigns” directed against journalists on social networks, especially those who dare to tackle subjects that displeasure followers of Hindutva. These campaigns are particularly harsh when their targets are women.
Improved Security for Journalists
On the surface, the security situation for journalists in India seems to have improved. No journalist murders were reported in India in 2019, compared to six the previous year. However, constant violations of press freedom persist. These include police violence against journalists, ambushes by political activists, and attacks instigated by criminal groups or corrupt local officials.
About the World Press Freedom Index
The World Press Freedom Index has been published annually since 2002 by Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF) or Reporters Without Borders. RSF is an independent NGO based in Paris with consultative status with the United Nations, UNESCO, the Council of Europe and the International Organization of the Francophonie (OIF). The OIF is a collective of 54 French-speaking nations.
The index ranks 180 countries and regions according to the degree of freedom available to journalists. It evaluates several parameters, including pluralism, media independence, the media environment and self-censorship, the legislative framework, transparency, and the quality of the infrastructure supporting news and information production.