MONGOLIA RANKS AT 71ST IN WORLD PRESS FREEDOM INDEX

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ The 2018 World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders has been presented worldwide today, on April 25. The annual report on press freedom of 180 countries reflects the growing animosity toward journalists. Hostility towards the media, openly encouraged by political leaders, and the efforts of authoritarian regimes to export their vision of journalism pose a threat to democracies. Norway leads with press freedom index for the second year, followed – as it was last year – by Sweden. North Korea is still last, ranking at 180th. As for Mongolia, it drew back by two positions and ranks at 71st this year. The state media transforming into public service broadcasting is a good sign to keep the media as a watchdog of democracy. However, the tendency of media centralization and supporting the political parties prevents it from being independent. Moreover, irrespective of ownership type of the media, pressure from the politicians, government’s non-transparency and vulnerability to critisizm limit the main functions of media. B.Misheel