World Press Freedom Index 2023

May 4, 2023

India’s ranking in the 2023 World Press Freedom Index has slipped to 161 out of 180 countries, according to the latest report released by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). This ranking reflects a significant decline in press freedom in the country. The report shows that India’s ranking has fallen 11 places since last year when it was ranked 150th in the World Press Freedom Index.

What is the World Press Freedom Index?

The World Press Freedom Index is an annual ranking released by RSF. The objective is to assess and evaluate the extent of media freedom that journalists and media outlets have in 180 countries and territories. The index is based on an evaluation of media pluralism, independence, transparency, legislative framework, and the safety of journalists in each country.

Norway, Ireland, and Denmark secured the top three positions in the index, while Vietnam, China, and North Korea ranked at the bottom.

Pakistan ranks higher than India

Pakistan has done better than India in terms of media freedom, with a rank of 150 which is an improvement from its 157th position last year. This is a significant improvement in Pakistan’s press freedom ranking.

Concerns over India’s press freedom

The Indian Women’s Press Corps, the Press Club of India, and the Press Association have expressed their concern over India’s dip in the index. These organizations have voiced their concerns over the worsening of the press freedom index in India and the constraints on press freedom due to hostile working conditions.

RSF, an international NGO headquartered in Paris, aims to defend and promote media freedom. RSF has been given consultative status by the United Nations. According to RSF, press freedom refers to the capacity of journalists to choose, create, and distribute news for public interest, free from political, economic, legal, and social intervention and without risks to their physical and mental well-being.

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