The World Press Freedom Day (WPFD), celebrated on May 3rd, saw the release of the World Press Freedom Index for 2023. This year, India ranked 161 out of 180 countries with a score of 36.62, slipping 11 positions from its 150th rank in 2022. This article navigates through this report to bring you a detailed understanding of what this means, and likewise analyzes press freedom in India.
World Press Freedom Day: A Synopsis
World Press Freedom Day is an initiative backed by the United Nations General Assembly since 1993, following UNESCO’s recommendation in 1991. The day also commemorates the 1991 Windhoek Declaration, adopted by UNESCO. It aims to raise public awareness about the importance and value of press freedom, along with underlining the crucial role of protecting journalists’ rights and fostering independent, free media. The theme for 2023 is ‘Shaping a Future of Rights: Freedom of Expression as a Driver for All Other Human Rights’.
Breakdown of the 2023 World Press Freedom Index
The top three performers according to the 2023 index are Norway, Ireland and Denmark while Vietnam, China, and North Korea held the last three positions. In terms of India’s neighbouring countries, Sri Lanka improved its ranking significantly to 135th, whereas Pakistan was 150th. The report deemed the situations in Tajikistan, India, and Turkey as shifting from ‘problematic’ to ‘very bad’.
India’s Performance Analysis
India’s ranking has been on a steady decline since 2016 when it was positioned at 133. Various factors have contributed to this decrease, including increased violence against journalists, a politically biased media environment, and suppression of information flow due to media ownership by oligarchs closely associated with political leaders. Many journalists in India are reportedly self-censoring under intense pressure.
What is the World Press Freedom Index?
This index, published annually since 2002 by Reporters Without Borders or Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF), a Paris-based independent NGO, ranks 180 countries based on their level of press freedom. The rankings take into consideration factors like censorship, media independence, and journalist safety. However, it does not indicate the quality of journalism.
Ranking and Scoring System
Each country’s rank is determined based on a score ranging from 0 (worst) to 100 (best), which indicates the level of press freedom. These scores are evaluated using five contextual indicators: political context, legal framework, economic context, sociocultural context, and safety.
Freedom of Press in India
Despite the Indian Constitution guaranteeing freedom of speech and expression under Article 19, freedom of press remains an implied right under article 19(1)(a) instead of being expressly protected. The Supreme Court upheld this concept in 1950 in the Romesh Thappar v. State of Madras case, affirming that freedom of the press underscores all democratic organizations. Nonetheless, press freedom in India is not absolute. It encounters restrictions under Article 19(2) on matters related to interests of sovereignty, state security, foreign relations, public order, decency, morality, contempt of court, defamation, or incitement to an offence.
