The environment for journalism is poor in 7-in-10 countries and just satisfactory in the other 3-in-10, according to Reporters Without Borders' latest findings.
The Paris-based organization's 2023 World Press Freedom Index on Wednesday is grim not just for journalists, but for the entire world – which depends on generally accepts facts or information to run smoothly.
The index, released on World Press Freedom Day, finds the situation is “very serious” in 31 nations, “difficult” in 42, “problematic” in 55, and “good” or “satisfactory” in 52.
It finds "enormous volatility in situations, with major rises and falls and unprecedented changes, such as Brazil’s 18-place rise and Senegal’s 31-place fall," said Christophe Deloire, the organization's secretary-general.
"This instability is the result of increased aggressiveness on the part of the authorities in many countries and growing animosity towards journalists on social media and in the physical world," Deloire said.
"The volatility is also the consequence of growth in the fake content industry," he said, "which produces and distributes disinformation and provides the tools for manufacturing it."
Peace laureate Dmitry Muratov believes journalists have an important role in society. He received the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which promotes democracy and lasting peace.
— The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) May 3, 2023
Read his full Nobel Prize lecture: https://t.co/44suvcdHQH pic.twitter.com/1ja0FB2n3o
'Truth to power'
Thomas Jefferson famously wrote from Paris in 1787 that "were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter."
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres similarly noted that "all our freedom" depends on press freedom, but the media industry's collapse and more laws that stifle reporters are expanding censorship and threatening freedom of expression.
And more journalists and media workers are targeted on and offline. A 2021 report found 3-in-4 women journalists have been the victim of online harassment.
"In every corner of the world, freedom of the press is under attack," Guterres said. "Freedom of the press is the foundation of democracy and justice. It gives all of us the facts we need to shape opinions and speak truth to power."
Last year was the deadliest for reporters, with 86 killed mainly outside war zones.
"Often times they were at home with their family," said Audrey Azoulay, director-general of UNESCO, which advocates for the protection of journalists. "The security of journalists is not a matter just for journalists or international organizations. It is a matter for society as a whole.”
