Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom 2016 highlights:
• World leaders becoming ‘paranoid’ about the media
• Warns of a new era of propaganda on the rise
• Finland, Netherlands and Norway tops ranking
• Eritrea ranked lowest at 180; North Korea at 179
Morung Express News
Dimapur | April 20
World leaders paranoid about journalism are cracking down on press freedom, continuing a recent trend in which governments are increasing their influence over the media.
Advocacy group Reporters Without Borders in its latest annual report released on Wednesday has said that the World Press Freedom deteriorated in 2015 and warned of “a new era of propaganda.”
“There has been a deep and disturbing decline in respect for media freedom throughout the world,” the free press advocacy group said in a report released Tuesday.
Based on indicators such as media independence, self-censorship, the rule of law, transparency and abuses, the World Press Freedom Index ranks 180 countries.
Secretary General of the Paris-based group, Christophe Deloire said that this year’s index saw a decline in all parts of the world. “All of the indicators show deterioration. Numerous authorities are trying to regain control of their countries, fearing overly open public debate,” the Guardian quoted him as saying.
“Today it is increasingly easy for powers to appeal directly to the public through new technologies, and so there is a greater degree of violence against those who represent independent information,” he added. Deloire highlighted that ‘new era of propaganda’ was on rise.
“We are entering a new era of propaganda where new technologies allow the low-cost dissemination of their own communication, their information, as dictated. On the other side, journalists are the ones who get in the way,” said Deloire.
Highlighting that situation in Latin America was at grave in Latin the reports also threw light on institutional violence in Venezuela and Ecuador, organised crime in Honduras, impunity in Colombia, and corruption in Brazil.
Among the lowest ranked countries was Syria, at 177th; North Korea at 179th and last placed was Eritrea. India ranked an abysmally low at 133, while Finland retained its top spot for the sixth consecutive year, followed by the Netherlands and Norway.
Three northern European nations -- Finland, Netherlands and Norway -- topped the ranking of 180 countries.
Tajikistan dropped 34 spots from last year’s list to rank 150th due to the government’s more authoritarian outlook. Brunei also plunged 34 slots after its interpretation of Sharia law resulted in threats of blasphemy charges and self-censorship.
Poland, meanwhile, fell 29 slots to 47th after the country’s conservative government gained more control over the public media.
The United States ranked 41st on the list, eight spots lower than in 2015.
Europe was the best overall region for journalists. Africa overtook the Americas after that region suffered increased violence against the media. North Africa and the Middle East ranked last.
“It is unfortunately clear that many of the world’s leaders are developing a form of paranoia about legitimate journalism,” Deloire said in a statement. “The climate of fear results in a growing aversion to debate and pluralism and a clampdown on the media by ever more authoritarian and oppressive governments.”
India ranked abysmally low at 133
WASHINGTON, APRIL 20 (PTI): India ranks an abysmally low at 133 among 180 countries in the latest annual World Press Freedom Index which says Prime Minister Narendra Modi seems “indifferent” to the threats against journalists. The 2016 World Press Freedom Index released by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is led by Finland, which retained its top spot for the sixth consecutive year, followed by the Netherlands and Norway.
India jumped three spots from the 136th position it had in 2015. “Journalists and bloggers are attacked and anathematized by various religious groups that are quick to take offense,” the report said.
At the same time, it is hard for journalists to cover regions such as Kashmir that are regarded as sensitive by the government, it said. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi seems indifferent to these threats and problems, and there is no mechanism for protecting journalists,” the report said. “Instead, in a desire to increase control of media coverage, Modi envisages opening a journalism university run by former propaganda ministry officials,” it alleged, without substantiating what it refers to.
Among India’s neighbouring countries, Pakistan ranks 147, Sri Lanka (141), Afghanistan (120), Bangladesh (144), Nepal (105) and Bhutan (94). China is ranked 176. The report shows that there has been a deep and disturbing decline in respect for media freedom at both the global and regional levels.
