Last week, on November 16, to be precise, India observed National Press Day on the theme “Changing Nature of the Press”, reflecting the ever-evolving media landscape. It commemorates the inception of the Press Council of India in 1966, which was established to act as a moral watchdog to ensure that the press maintains high standards and is not affected by external forces. The occasion is a symbol of a free and responsible press in India. It is also an occasion to reflect and ask how free and responsible the press in the country is today. Speaking of the press freedom, there is nothing much to celebrate. According to a report by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), as many as 129 journalists (one killed in an accident), including 14 women and one accidental death, were killed in 2023 amid the Gaza war, making it the deadliest year since the organisation started maintaining a casualty list in 1990. As for India, the report stated that at least 10 journalists were jailed and three killed in 2023. But according to the India Press Freedom Annual Report, five journalists were killed and 226 targeted during the same year in the country. Media reports also suggest a decline in press freedom in the country, with many expressing concern over journalists being targeted unfairly. No wonder India’s ranking in the World Press Freedom Index released by Reporters Without Borders over the years is in tandem with the claims and sentiment expressed by many.
As per the 2024 World Press Freedom Index, India is ranked 159th out of 180 countries, which is below the neighbouring countries of Pakistan (152) and Sri Lanka (150). It showed an improvement over last year’s ranking of 161st but the consistent fall over the recent years is a matter of concern. To be precise, India’s position in 2022 was 150, compared to 142 in 2020 and 2021, 140th position in 2019, 138 in 2018 and 136 in 2017. This drop in the rankings from the 136th position to the 159th in just eight years doesn’t paint a good picture of the world’s largest democracy that takes pride in its democratic principles. But this doesn’t mean all is well with the media in other parts of the world. Polarised and one-sided coverage of the ongoing conflicts, including Russia-Ukraine, Gaza, Myanmar and Manipur, across the world tells that media houses are either dancing to the tunes of the governments and people in power for various reasons or are fearful of being targeted. At a time when the traditional media is faced with the daunting task of fighting misinformation, false propaganda and other challenges posed by the social media amid the internet revolution, any human interference to suit a particular narrative can be detrimental to the progress of any society. Such a situation should be avoided. It is pointless to celebrate press freedom while journalists face threats and imprisonment for performing their duties. There should be a law to protect journalists so that they can fight injustice FEARLESSLY.