(ANSA) – ROME, MAY 03 – A growing number of governments and political authorities “are not fulfilling their role as guarantors of the best possible environment for journalism and of the public’s right to receive reliable, independent and diversified news and information”. This is what the annual report from Reporters Without Borders states on press freedom day. The index ranks 180 countries based on the ability of journalists to work and report freely and independently, with Italy dropping 5 positions compared to the previous year.
In a year in which more than half of the world’s population will go to the polls in democratic elections, the RSF index shows a general decline in press freedom globally and a sharp increase in political repression of journalists and independent media. Norway maintained its top position, while Eritrea placed last, taking over from North Korea, last year’s lowest-ranking country. Europe was the only region to include countries classified as “good”. Greece achieved the worst result in Europe (88th place overall), below Hungary and Poland. Italy also drops 5 positions. RSF expresses concerns that some political groups “are orchestrating a takeover of the media ecosystem, either through state-owned media under their control, or through privately owned media through takeovers by allied businessmen.” And he cites as an example “Giorgia Meloni’s Italy (46th), where a member of her coalition is trying to acquire the Agi news agency”. (HANDLE). .
