‘Dangerous nation for media’: India falls to 150th rank on World Press Freedom Index 2022

According to a recent survey, the concept of freedom of the press in India is taking a major hit over the years, as the World Press Freedom Index of 2022 has the country on the 150^th rank this year, out of a total of 180 countries in the survey.

India, which has slipped from last year’s 142^nd rank to 150^th rank in 2022, has been termed as “one of the world’s most dangerous countries for media” by the survey, with an average of three or four journalists getting killed every year.

The ranking of India in the World Press Freedom Index has been deteriorating since 2016, according to the latest edition. In the 2016 survey, India stood at the 133^rd position, with its rank decreasing each year gradually.

The press freedom index, which is prepared by Reporters Without Borders, states that "violence against journalists, the politically partisan media, and the concentration of media ownership all demonstrate that press freedom is in crisis in 'the world’s largest democracy', ruled since 2014 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the leader of the BJP and the embodiment of the Hindu nationalist right".

Meanwhile, the top five countries of the World Press Freedom Index 2022 are as follows –

1. Norway
2. Denmark
3. Sweden
4. Estonia
5. Finland

The worst performing countries out of the 180 participants were North Korea (180), Russia (155), China (175), and India (150).

The statement on the website of the survey reads, “On the World Press Freedom Day, Reporters Without Borders and nine other human rights organisations ask Indian authorities to stop targeting journalists and online critics for their work."

The survey prepared by Reporters Without Borders states that one of the primary reasons behind India not ranking high on the list is the abundance of media outlets in the country, which “conceals tendencies toward the concentration of ownership.”

According to the report, there are a total of 36,000 weeklies and 380 TV news channels in India, which has essentially led to the lack of freedom of the press in the country.

(With PTI inputs)

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