This year, Bosnia and Herzegovina ranks 67th in the world in terms of media freedom (with 65.64 points) out of 180 countries covered by the annual World Media Freedom Index for 2022, which is a step back from the previous year when it was 58th (71.66), BHRT writes.
In the index published in the “Reporters Without Borders” report, Croatia is in 48th place and advanced compared to the year before when it was in 56th place. Montenegro ranks 63rd, up 41st from 2021. Slovenia ranks 54th, Northern Macedonia 57th, Serbia 79th and Albania 103rd, out of 180 countries surveyed.
According to the World Index of Media Freedoms published by Reporters Without Borders, there has been a double polarization in the world, intensified by information chaos, and it is present both in individual countries and in relations between countries at the international level.
The report for 2022, which assesses the state of journalism in 180 countries and territories, points to the catastrophic effects of information chaos resulting from globalized and unregulated online information space, which encourages the spread of false news and propaganda.
Norway remains at the top of the World Press Freedom Index in Europe, as it still ranks first. It is a surprise that Estonia took the fourth and Lithuania the ninth. These are two former communist countries and are now among the top ten in terms of media freedom, while the Netherlands, which used to be in the top ten, is no longer in the 28th place. Greece is at 108th and has replaced Bulgaria (91) in last place in Europe.
The report also states that repression has intensified in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
Journalists were killed and injured on the ground, the level of censorship is such that it has not been seen since the Soviet period, mass disinformation is spreading as many as five journalists and media workers were killed in a shooting during the first month of the Russian offensive, which began on February 24, 2022, “the report said.
