2016 World Press Freedom Index released

The 2016 World Press Freedom Index was released on 20 April 2016 by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). Finland retained its top position for the sixth consecutive year, followed by the Netherlands and Norway.

The Index ranks 180 countries according to the freedom allowed journalists. It also includes indicators of the level of media freedom violations in each region.

The global indicator and the regional indicators show that there has been a deep and disturbing decline in respect for media freedom throughout the world.

But, it is not an indicator of the quality of the journalism in each country, nor does it rank public policies even if governments obviously have a major impact on their country’s ranking.

Highlights of the Index

• Europe with 19.8 points still has the freest media, followed distantly by Africa with 36.9, which for the first time overtook the America’s 37.1, a region where violence against journalists is on the rise.

• Asia with 43.8 and Eastern Europe/Central Asia with 48.4, while North Africa/Middle East with 50.8 is still the region where journalists are most subjected to constraints of every kind.

• Finland, the Netherlands and Norway occupied the first three places, while the same infernal trio is in the last three positions: Turkmenistan (178th), North Korea (179th) and Eritrea (180th).

• There are countries fell farthest from 2015 rankings which include Poland (47th, down 29), Tajikistan (150th, slide 34 places), Sultanate of Brunei (155th, down 34), Burundi (156th, down 11).

• India ranked 133 with the report saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi indifferent to threats against journalists.

Top 10 Ranked Countries in Press Freedom

 World Press Freedom Index

• The Index is published annually by RSF since 2002. It is an important advocacy tool based on the principle of emulation between states. Because it is now so well known, its influence over the media, governments and international organizations is growing.

• It is based on an evaluation of media freedom that measures pluralism, media independence, the quality of the legal framework and the safety of journalists in 180 countries.

• It is compiled by means of a questionnaire in 20 languages that is completed by experts all over the world.

• This qualitative analysis is combined with quantitative data on abuses and acts of violence against journalists during the period evaluated.

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