New Delhi: India has made progress on the World Press Freedom Index, moving up to 151st place among 180 countries, compared to 159th last year.
The index, compiled by Reporters Without Borders, ranks Finland, Estonia, and the Netherlands as the top three nations, based on responses from over 5,000 individuals worldwide.
"We have surveyed 5,000 respondents across the world. It comprises a diverse set, including policymakers, journalists and other stakeholders," Thibaut Bruttin, assistant director general of Reporters Without Borders, said at a press conference in Delhi.
Thibaut Bruttin declined to disclose the identities of the respondents but emphasised that they represented a diverse range of ideologies.
India boasts nearly 900 privately owned TV channels, with half dedicated to news. Additionally, around 140,000 publications are produced in over 20 languages, including approximately 20,000 daily newspapers with a combined circulation exceeding 390 million copies, according to Reporters Without Borders.
The US ranks 57th on the index, dropping two positions from the previous year.
Despite strong rankings, media concentration remains a concern in countries such as Australia (29th), Canada (21st), and Czechia (10th), Reporters Without Borders noted.
Reporters sans Frontières, or Reporters Without Borders, is an international non-profit and non-governmental organisation based in Paris, dedicated to protecting the right to freedom of information.
(inputs from IANS)