India’s press freedom index drops by 3 points

Bapatla: Forum for Better Bapatla secretary PC Sai Babu, informed that 79 journalists were assassinated worldwide while exercising their duties in 2017.On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, the World Press Freedom Index- 2018 was released at the office of Forum for Better Bapatla on Thursday.

Speaking on the occasion, he felt that journalism was under fire. Media independence was weakening and professional standards of journalism were being eroded. He said that with regard to the physical, psychological and digital safety of journalists, trends remain extremely alarming and digital media had raised new challenges for privacy and journalist source protection.

He said that India ranked 136 in the world press freedom index, three points down from previous year and added that the 'Reporters without Borders' annual report blamed the rise of Hindu nationalism for drop in ranking. He said the world had become a darker place for journalists.Artist GV, Advocate BV Subrahmanyam and others participated.