The 23rd Annual South Asia Press Freedom Report 2024–25, titled “Frontline Democracy: Media and Political Churn”, has highlighted India as part of a broader trend of diminishing press freedom. It is published by the Asia Press Freedom group. Also, it covers 8 South Asian countries – India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives.
Key Findings
(a) More than two hundred fifty media rights violations reported; around 70 journalists jailed/detained, approx 21 killed in the line of duty.
(b) India ranked 151st globally in press freedom report; Bhutan fell to 152nd, its lowest ever.
(c) Pakistan saw its most brutal year for journalists in two decades.
(d) Major risks originated from disinformation, legal suppression, surveillance, and AI-related threats.
Issues Surrounding Press Freedom
(i) Legal and Institutional Pressure: Regular use of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, Prevention of Money Laundering Act, sedition, and defamation laws against opposing journalists. Example: Income Tax and ED raids on dissenting media outlets.
(ii) Disinformation Ecosystem: Political party “IT Cells” encourages and intensifies hate speech and fake news, eroding public trust. The Global Risks Report of last year flagged manipulated information as the most lethal and biggest short-term global threat.
(iii) Choking of Independent Media: Denial of government advertisements, restrictions on digital media platforms, and selective internet shutdowns.
(iv) AI and Gig Economy Risks: AI-generated content puts journalists’ authenticity at risk, also gig workers suffer the menace of poor wages and job insecurity.
(vi) Gender Inequality: Inadequate representation of women in newsroom leadership roles; widespread gender-based harassment in the media.
Consequences of Declining Press Freedom
(i) Self-Censorship: Threat of legal action and violence pressurises media houses to not go for critical reporting.
(ii) Democratic Deficit: Jeopardises faith in the fourth pillar of democracy, threatening accountability and transparency.
(iii) Public Mistrust: Increasing perception of media bias erodes trust in institutions.
(iv) Information Access Shrinks: Laws like India’s DPDP Act 2023 and amended RTI provisions block legitimate public queries.
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Way Ahead
(i) Media Law Reforms: Pass the Media Transparency Bill 2024 to curb monopolies as well as politicised ad distribution.
(ii) Independent Regulatory Framework: Put forth the idea of a media ombudsman to review censorship complaints and encourage non-partisan editorial standards.
(iii) Protect Journalists’ Rights: Formulate labour protections for freelance and gig journalists, so as to provide legal aid and safety mechanisms.
(iv) Fact-Checking Infrastructure: Invest in independent fact-checking bodies to counter disinformation, especially during elections.
(v) Promote Digital Pluralism: Support independent and community-driven media to balance dominant corporate as well as political narratives.
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Conclusion
Press freedom in South Asia is thriving under immense strain due to state control, legal harassment, and disinformation. So, India must act now to defend and safeguard journalistic integrity, ensure citizens’ right to know, and protect democratic institutions. A free and fair press is the bedrock of participatory governance, which eventually makes the democracy more inclusive and responsible.