Daily Hot Topic

Topic : Press Freedom in India

India’s Rank: 159th out of 180 countries in the 2023 World Press Freedom Index (RSF)

Violence Against Journalists:
- Ex: Murder of Gauri Lankesh (2017), critic of right-wing extremism.
- Creates climate of fear, discourages critical reporting.
Censorship and Government Control:
- Blocking of news websites and channels restricts dissenting voices.
Legal and Regulatory Constraints:
- Sedition laws used against journalists (e.g., Siddique Kappan, 2020).
- Laws criticized for being vague and enabling misuse.
Economic Pressures and Ownership Concentration:
- Takeover of media houses by corporations (e.g., NDTV by Adani Group, 2022) raises concerns of biased reporting.
Digital Surveillance and Internet Restrictions:
- Internet shutdowns (e.g., Jammu & Kashmir, 2019) hinder journalists’ work.
- Surveillance chills freedom and privacy.

Strengthen Legal Protections:
- Enact laws to safeguard journalists from violence and intimidation.
- Establish a Press Protection Act (like US Shield Laws) for source confidentiality.
- Review and amend defamation & sedition laws to prevent misuse.
Ensure Media Pluralism:
- Promote diverse media ownership to avoid monopolies.
- Implement policies to encourage competition (e.g., similar to UK’s Broadcasting Act).
Enhance Digital Freedom:
- Develop transparent guidelines for internet shutdowns as a last resort.
Promote Ethical Journalism:
- Support training and self-regulation within the journalism profession.
- Uphold codes of conduct for accuracy, fairness, and impartiality.

What it is: An annual report by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) assessing press freedom in 180 countries.
What it measures: Media pluralism, independence, legal frameworks, and journalist safety.
Global Trends:
- Significant improvements and declines in various countries.
- Top: Norway, Finland, Sweden (strong press freedom protections).
- Bottom: North Korea, Eritrea (repressive regimes, media restrictions).
India’s Position:
- Ongoing challenges: violence, censorship, legal misuse.
- Specific issues: journalist arrests, internet shutdowns, government influence.