New report on media freedom in India and South Asia rings alarm bells on democratic decline

In its South Asia Press Freedom Report 2023-2024, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has painted a bleak picture of media freedom in the region. According to the report, the appearance of democracy faded under autocratic regimes amid political polarisation, economic turmoil, and digital disruption, with journalists increasingly facing wage threats, job losses, shuttering of media houses, and precarious working conditions.

The report titled “Artificial Independence: The Fight to Save Media and Democracy” was released on May…