The Czech Republic has moved up six places in the 2023 Reporters Without Borders (RSF) media freedom index, ranking 14th out of 180 countries, compared to 20th in the previous year. The annual study assesses the level of press freedom in countries across the world. The Czech Republic’s ranking reflects the increasing concentration of private media in the hands of big economically powerful players, such as PPF and MAFRA, and pressure on public broadcasting, according to the RSF report. It highlights three trends in the Czech media market: the significant concentration of large media groups, the rise of independent media, and the strong presence of public media under more and stronger political pressure.

The report noted a lot more movement in the rankings this year, reflecting the instability of the media environment. RSF identified the “industrial production of disinformation” as the biggest challenge for journalists today, while also warning of the remarkable development of artificial intelligence causing chaos in the media world. The report also raised concerns about the arbitrary approach to information based on payments by Twitter’s new owner, Elon Musk.

The freest region for journalists, according to the RSF assessment, is the combined Europe and Central Asia region, where conditions are good in 15% of countries and satisfactory in 40%. By contrast, in Asia, conditions are very poor in 28% of countries, and in the Middle East and North Africa, in over half of them.

Press freedom is an essential element of a democratic society, providing the public with access to reliable and unbiased information, allowing them to make informed decisions. The Czech Republic’s improved ranking in the RSF media freedom index is a positive sign, reflecting the country’s commitment to preserving the freedom of the press. However, there is still a need for vigilance in addressing challenges to media freedom, such as the concentration of media ownership and political pressure on public media. The Czech Republic and other countries need to work towards creating a media environment that is transparent, independent, and free from undue political influence, to support the important role that journalism plays in society.

Article by Prague Forum