Armenia is 79th in the World Press Freedom Index
Armenia is ahead of most of the post-Soviet countries in the "World Press Freedom Index’ for 2016, compiled by the Reporters Without Borders, occupying the 79th position out of 180 countries.
"The print media (in Armenia) are diverse and polarized, investigative journalism prospers on the Internet, but pluralism lags behind in the broadcast media. In the crucial transition to digital TV, a future space for critical broadcasters will depend on the impartiality of the frequency bidding process. The Ilur.am news website and the Hraparak newspaper won an important legal victory in October 2015 when the constitutional court issued a ruling upholding the confidentiality of journalists’ sources. But police violence against journalists continues and still goes unpunished. In July 2016, a dozen journalists were injured while covering the use of force to break up a demonstration,’ the report said.
Of the former Soviet republics, the best results were shown by Estonia, which is 12th, Latvia - 28th and Lithuania - 36th. Then come Georgia (64th), Moldova (80th), Kyrgyzstan (89th), Ukraine (102nd), Russia (148th), Tajikistan (149th), Belarus (153rd), Kazakhstan (157th), Azerbaijan (162nd), Uzbekistan (169th) and Turkmenistan (178th).
The ranking is topped by Norway, followed by Sweden and Finland. North Korea closes the list. The rating has been compiled since 2002. It takes into account such indicators as pluralism, media independence, security and freedom of journalists.
‘Press freedom has never been as threatened as it is now, in the "new post-truth era of fake news", Reporters Without Borders said.
"Attacks on the media have become commonplace and strongmen are on the rise. We have reached the age of post-truth, propaganda, and suppression of freedoms - especially in democracies," the report said.
"Media freedom has never been so threatened." -0-