PANAJI
It all depends on whom you ask... Large parts of the mainstream media will not have an issue with press freedom and how it works in India today. Sections of the alternative media (or the press critical of the government) will point to growing risks facing us all. Everyone else lies somewhere in between these two points. So then, on another World Press Freedom Day, observed on May 3 each year, where do we stand? In India, the world as a whole, and even in tiny Goa itself?
News released recently rated India rather low on the World Press Freedom Index, compiled by the group Reporters Without Borders (RSF). India was placed at 157th (out of 180 countries) in 2026. To make matters worse, it had slipped down from the 151st position. It is currently in the “very serious” category, according to the RSF ranking. The report highlighted what it saw as judicial pressure on journalists, use of criminal laws and broader constraints on media independence. Globally, RSF also said that press freedom has reached its “lowest level in 25 years”.
RSF has been producing its World Press Freedom Index yearly. If you don’t like its findings, you could argue that this widely-cited ranking is not a purely objective “hard-data” measure. It is instead a composite index combining some quantitative indicators but also based on a large global survey of journalists, researchers and experts. Therefore, it is more a perception-based index rather than a data-based scientific study. Critics note that it might reflect subjective weighting choices. Different media ecosystems are also hard to judge globally, they note. Its credibility however is generally considered high.
GLOBAL CHALLENGES
At the worldwide level, there are many challenges. Ranging from political pressure and direct state control, to legal intimidation. Sometimes the latter happens through defamation laws, anti-terror or sedition provisions. Strategic lawsuits (SLAPPs) to silence journalists are another concern.
Violence and physical attacks have not vanished either. The economic fragility of the media is of concern. Local journalism is facing collapse in parts of the world. This is mainly due to a decline in ad revenue (with online giants like Google, Facebook and YouTube grabbing large parts of the ad pie).
Disinformation and misinformation spreading also threatens the media. Digital surveillance of journalists and spyware are increasingly becoming causes for concern. Global tech platforms are shaping what becomes news, often through algorithms we never understand. Declining trust in the media, safety risks for women journalists and war (or conflict) are other concerns that have got increasingly flagged in the past year too.
Political pressure, economic instability and digital disruption is shaping our news. Independent journalism is harder to sustain in many regions of our planet.
IN INDIA
In the case of India, concern has gone to legal pressures and criminal cases. Raids and investigations by enforcement agencies have had a chilling effect of the past few years.
Our press is polarised. Strong ideological divisions have shown up in the mainstream media. Nationwide, there has been a concentration of media ownership; this affects editorial independence. Some journalists, especially women and critical reporters, have faced coordinated online abuse campaigns. Parts of India are not beyond physical intimidation in isolated cases.
Access restriction can block the media’s work. Journalism is facing economic uncertainty due to its declining revenues, causing job insecurity. Self-censorship happens as well.
India might not face overt nationwide censorship. Yet, there is a combination of legal, economic and informal pressures. This decides what gets reported and how boldly it is covered.
RSF cites pressures from India’s Data Protection Act, which could bury much of the useful Right to Information Act our country had for the past two decades. Privacy is fine, but the “sweeping provisions” of the Data Protection Act threaten RTI, undermine governance and enable a surveillance regime, warns Article 14, the India-focused in-depth digital news and research platform.
GOA IS DIFFERENT?
Relatively milder Goa seems better placed. At the same time, both journalists and media houses face local structural and professional pressures.
The local media depends on a relatively small readership base. This makes it dependent on advertising. Ad-linked influence compels us to walk a fine line. Close personal networks in tiny Goa can cause conflict of interest. Defamation and legal threats are not totally absent. Access to information can be, and should be, improved. Relating on contentious issues can cause problems too. Push back from powerful economic stakeholders is not unknown.
Digital misinformation is another reality. Local outlets operating with small teams and limited resources also has its adverse impact. Goa still sees too much of ‘event-driven journalism’, fuelled by press conferences and releases. What everyone will agree we need is independent field reporting. Language fragmentation (with the media split between English, Marathi and Konkani) is another reality. So, we have issues that shape the depth and independence of reporting here.
OF ALL DAYS
We have many days dedicated to the media. National Press Day (Nov 16). Have you heard of International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists (Nov 2)? World Radio Day (Feb 13) is mostly observed from New Delhi, where much of our radio is centralised. World Television Day (Nov 21) wasn’t much observed even when TV saw its heyday. On World Press Freedom Day (May 3), it’s time to admit frankly to what we need to build a freer press.
The writer has edited two books on media in Goa, titled In Black and White (2008)... and And Read All Over (2025)
