Each year, Reporters Without Borders releases its Press Freedom Index, which "compares the level of press freedom enjoyed by journalists and media in 180 countries and territories."
Freedom of the press to openly question government, corporations, and other entities holding power is one of the central tenets of democracy because it helps to ensure public accountability.
The Press Freedom Index is evaluated using five indicators:
Political context - support and respect for media
Legal framework - freedom for journalists to work without censorship, violence, or sanctions
Economic context - economic constraints by government, media owners, and other agencies
Sociocultural context - attacks on press for personal reasons and the pressure on journalists not to question entities in power
Safety - Abuse such as physical, psychological, or professional harm
The Press Freedom Index's scale is as follows: Green = Good, Yellow = Satisfactory, Light Orange = Problematic, Dark Orange = Difficult, Red = Very Serious. In the image above, countries in green have the most freedom of the press, followed by yellow, orange, and then red.
The overall global picture is troubling as press freedom is trending downward in many places. In 2013, 26 countries were deemed to be in a "Good situation." In 2022, that number has sunk to just 8. Meanwhile, in 2013, 20 countries were in a "Very Serious" situation, which has increased to 28 in 2022.
Reporters Without Borders believes the downward trend:
highlights the disastrous effects of news and information chaos – the effects of a globalized and unregulated online information space that encourages fake news and propaganda.
The United States' position
The United States is currently sitting in the number 42 spot and is deemed "Satisfactory." That ranking marks a decline of 10 spots since 2013. Reporters Without Borders attributes this to the previous administration's removal of press opportunities such as the federal agency press briefings, as well as chronic issues such as:
the disappearance of local newspapers, the systematic polarisation of the media, and the erosion of journalism by digital platforms amid a climate of animosity and aggression towards journalists, among others.
Still, America's position has increased from 2 spots since last year, primarily due to President Biden reinstating federal agency press briefings.
Global rankings
The top 10 ranked countries include many Scandinavian and European countries:
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