Which country has the most freedom of press? Where is the US ranked? Complete list of countries
Journalism is under political pressure according to the 2024 Reporters Without Borders’ World Press Freedom Index. Here’s how each nation ranks.
More than half of the world’s population will head to the polls in 2024. However, the information from the free press that they have access to is under threat. The Reporters Without Borders’ 2024 World Press Freedom Index found a worrying trend in one of the five indicators used to compile its annual international ranking.
The 2024 report found that “governments and political authorities are not fulfilling their role as guarantors of the best possible environment for journalism.” As well as not ensuring the public has access to “reliable, independent, and diverse news and information” which is their right.
“RSF sees a worrying decline in support and respect for media autonomy and an increase in pressure from the state or other political actors,” states the international organization.
On the other hand, the group points out that there is “a clear lack of political will” to enforce the principle of protecting journalists by the international community. This has been laid bare by the over 100 Palestinian reporters killed by the Israel Defence Forces in the war in Gaza.
The group is also concerned about generative AI being used as part of disinformation campaigns for political purposes such as deepfakes, as there is a lack of regulations.
Which country has the most freedom of press?
The top five countries are almost all in the Nordic region with Norway keeping its place at the head of the pack. It’s followed by Denmark and Sweden. The Netherlands moved into the number four spot, and Finland held its fifth place ranking. The remaining five in the top ten are all European countries.
The latest World Press Freedom Index categorized 36 countries as “very bad”. Vietnam, China and North Korea ceded their positions at the bottom of the list to Afghanistan, Syria and Eritrea whose political rankings “plummeted.” This is despite China detaining more journalists than any other country and Vietnam systematically locking up journalists that speak their mind on social media.
Where is the US freedom of press ranked?
A country once considered a model for freedom of expression, the US dropped 10 spots in the 2024 ranking from the year before. There were significant decreases in four of the five indicators with the exception being a nearly four point increase in the security indicator according to the US fact file.
In the media landscape, many companies in the highly concentrated ownership of American media outlets “prioritize profits over public interest.” The RSF also laments the significant decline of local news hurting diversity and notes that “a growing interest in partisan media threatens objectivity, while public confidence in the media has fallen dangerously.”
Worryingly, over a dozen states and communities are seeking to limit journalists’ access to public spaces through proposed or enacted legislation. These measures include denying them entry to legislative meetings and barring them from recording law enforcement authorities.