United Kingdom gains three places in 2024 world press freedom index

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There has been some moderately good news in the United Kingdom’s evaluation for press and media freedom by Reporters Without Borders in their 2024 global press freedom index.

The UK remains in the ‘Satisfactory’ category and rises three places from last year from 26 to 23 between Samoa and Jamaica. Link to the 2024 United Kingdom Profile. United Kingdom

In summary, there have been some alarming attacks on Iranian journalists exiled in the UK, oppressive lawsuits aimed at gagging journalists, widespread job cuts, redundancies and publication closures and there will be no surprise that opinion polls and surveys record a low public trust in the media. 

RSF UK Bureau director in the UK, Fiona O’Brien, identifies a stable situation. The move up three places in the index can be more accounted for more by the movement of other countries around it.

The global context has therefore not been very good. She explains the UK’s ‘overall score has in fact gone down by 1 point overall – not a significant change, but not one that signals improvement, either.

The more serious trend can be highlighed in the economic indication which ‘has slipped from ‘satisfactory’ to ‘problematic’ – not surprising given the mass lay-offs and broader economic climate.’

Fiona further analyses the other metrics by explaining that ‘The social context indicator has slipped by 5.98 points, the legal (+0.86) and political (-0.76) have tiny changes and while the safety indicator has moved up +6.17 points, this puts the UK at 50 out of 180 countries surveyed for safety, the lowest ranking it has across the indicators.’

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This is the detailed RSF profile and explanation for the United Kingdom’s current position in the world press/media freedom index at number 23.

Media landscape

The British media landscape continues to suffer from a lack of pluralism, with just three companies – News UK, Reach, and Daily Mail and General Trust – dominating the national market, concentrating power and influence in very few hands. Public service broadcaster the BBC continues to come under pressure, and there is growing debate about foreign ownership of UK papers. 

Political context

Despite government assurances that media freedom is a priority, a restrictive political climate has impacted press freedom in the UK in recent years. The detention and questioning of several journalists entering the country under counter-terrorism legislation was a worrying development in a country where journalists have generally been able to operate freely, and the ongoing detention of Julian Assange as he awaits extradition to the US is a further source of alarm.

Legal framework

There was progress against abusive lawsuits aimed at silencing journalists (known as SLAPPs), with the introduction of legislation to counter such suits linked to economic crime. While a more comprehensive anti-SLAPP law is still required, formal government recognition that such abuses of law constitute a safety issue for journalists was welcome news.  

Economic context

Budgetary pressures aggravated by the pandemic have left many outlets forced to close their newsrooms or drastically reduce the number of staff. The threat of costly libel action and the precarious nature of freelancing have prevented many independent media outlets and freelance journalists from taking on sensitive investigations or forced them to crowdfund for legal support. The growth of initiatives to support local democracy reporting has been a welcome development over recent years. 

Sociocultural context

Journalists in the UK are largely free to work without significant cultural constraints, though political polarisation increasingly exposes individuals to criticism and intimidation, especially online. In Northern Ireland, journalists remain at risk from paramilitary groups and organised crime gangs; a shadow has been cast by lingering impunity for the 2001 murder of Sunday World journalist Martin O’Hagan, and no one has yet been sentenced for the 2019 murder of journalist Lyra McKee. 

Safety

Threats to Iranian journalists working in the UK escalated in 2023, with broadcaster Iran International forced to suspend its UK operations because of safety concerns. Journalists exiled in the UK face a wide range of transnational threats, including online abuse that is often gendered. The safety of journalists also remains a concern in Northern Ireland, where they face threats for reporting on organised crime and paramilitary activities. The publication of a National Action Plan for the Safety of Journalists in March 2021 was a welcome step, though progress on implementation has been slowed by Covid and instability within government.’

See recent RSF posts on UK media freedom issues All posts

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Legal framework and justice system News 23.02.2024

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Technological censorship and surveillance Arbitrary detention and proceedings News 19.02.2024

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Legal framework and justice system News 14.02.2024

RSF dispels common misconceptions in the case against Julian Assange. Ahead of “Day X”, the upcoming 20-21 February UK High Court hearing in the extradition proceedings against WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange, RSF examines 12 of the common misconceptions about the US government’s case against him.

Independence and pluralism Models and good practicesMedia sustainability News 23.01.2024

RSF holds first capacity-building seminar for Hong Kong journalists exiled in the UK. RSF held its first Hundreds of journalists have left Hong Kong since the adoption of the national security law in 2020, many of whom are now based in London. The seminar organised by RSF, which included training events for around twenty journalists.

Violence against journalists News 21.12.2023

Court case and ITV investigation reveal tactics used by Iran to silence UK-based journalists : RSF calls on Iran to stop targeting journalists at home and abroad. New details about Iranian plots against journalists working in London reveal the shocking tactics used by Iran to silence critical voices.

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Legal framework and justice system International laws and governance Violence against journalists News 05.10.2023

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Below you will find summaries of the assessment of media press freedom by Reporters Without Borders and other similar NGOs between 2021 and 2023.

UK position improves slightly in RSF World Press Freedom Index. April 17th 2021

In the Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index, the United Kingdom moved up two places from 35 to 33 in the report for 2021.

RSF said: ‘UK press freedom record marred by FOI restrictions, the detention of Julian Assange, and threats to the safety of journalists in Northern Ireland.’ The NGO further stated: ‘Despite the UK government’s stated commitment to defending global media freedom, domestic restrictions remained cause for concern. A secret government unit appeared to serve as a clearing house for freedom of information requests, and critical media outlets found themselves blacklisted or facing other restrictions. Critical reporting on the government’s Covid-19 response was met with vindictive official reactions.’

It added: ‘The detention of Wikileaks publisher Julian Assange particularly blighted the UK’s press freedom record. Assange’s extradition proceedings were marred by extensive barriers to open justice. Despite deciding against the US extradition request in January 2021, the court denied Assange’s bail application. Assange’s mental and physical health remain at high risk in Belmarsh prison, where Covid-19 infections have been rampant.’

RSF devoted a full paragraph to the situation in Northern Ireland: ‘Two years after the killing of journalist Lyra McKee, journalists covering paramilitary activity and organised crime in Northern Ireland remain at serious risk, with death threats frequently reported. The man charged with McKee’s murder was released on bail in July 2020 and has not yet been brought to trial. In November 2020, the Police Service of Northern Ireland was ordered to pay £875,000 in damages to journalists Trevor Birney and Barry McCaffrey, following their inappropriate arrest and the seizure of their journalistic materials in 2018.’

A growing concern about threats and intimidation of journalists doing their professional work prompted the observation: ‘The establishment of the National Committee for the Safety of Journalists in July 2020 and publication of a National Action Plan in March 2021 were welcome steps. Robust implementation of the Action Plan will be crucial towards establishing a climate in which journalists can work safely and without fear throughout the UK – both online and offline.’

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Update on UK position in RSF World Press Freedom Index 2022. Improves by seven places.

The UK moved up seven places to 24. Reporters Without Borders explained: ‘Worrisome governmental legislative proposals, extensive restrictions on freedom of information, the prolonged detention of Julian Assange, and threats to the safety of journalists in Northern Ireland have impacted the UK’s press freedom record.’

This was in a global context characterized by a ‘two-fold increase in polarisation amplified by information chaos – that is, media polarisation fuelling divisions within countries, as well as polarisation between countries at the international level.’

This position is achieved by the fact that in real time no journalists or media workers had been killed, and none were currently in prison. RSF summarizd the narrative under the following headings:-

Media landscape

The British media landscape has continued to face threats to pluralism. Three companies – News UK, Daily Mail Group and Reach – dominated the national newspaper market, concentrating power and influence in very few hands. The issue of BBC funding has been heavily politicised, culminating with the government’s announcement of a two-year freeze on the licence fee starting in early 2022.

Political context

A worrying political climate continued to impact press freedom in the UK, including the revival of an alarming proposal for reforms to official secrets laws that could see journalists jailed for “espionage”. Journalists faced extensive freedom of information restrictions, with reports surfacing of a secretive government clearing house for freedom of information requests. Allegations of attempted governmental interference surrounded the failed appointment of Paul Dacre as chair of Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator.

Legal framework

Wikileaks publisher Julian Assange has remained detained at Belmarsh prison as the US government’s extradition request to prosecute him for publishing information of public interest continues, impacting both countries’ press freedom records. A proliferation of Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) has helped make London the “defamation capital of the world”, with journalists from the UK and around the world forced to defend their reporting in British courts.

Economic context

Budget cuts in newsrooms and financial restrictions caused by the pandemic have left many outlets forced to close their newsrooms or drastically reduce the number of staff. The costly nature and threat of libel action in the UK has left many independent media outlets and freelance journalists unable to take on investigations into certain topics or forced to crowdfund for legal support. 

Sociocultural context

Journalists covering organised crime and paramilitary activities remained at great risk in Northern Ireland, where divisions have deepened since the Belfast Agreement in 1998. A series of violent riots broke out in loyalist areas of Northern Ireland in 2021, creating risks to the safety of journalists covering the riots. A shadow remains cast by lingering impunity for the 2001 murder of Sunday World journalist Martin O’Hagan.

Safety

The safety of journalists continues to be a concern in Northern Ireland, where they face threats for reporting on organised crime and paramilitary activities. Journalists experiencing threats often pointed to an insufficient police response. No one has yet been brought to trial for the murder of Lyra McKee in Derry in April 2019, although further arrests were made in 2021. The publication of a National Action Plan for the Safety of Journalists in March 2021 was a welcome step.

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Index on Censorship and Liverpool John Moore’s University inaugurated a new ‘Index Index- mapping the free expression landscape across the world’ in January 2023.

‘The Index Index is a pilot project that uses innovative machine learning techniques to map the free expression landscape across the globe to gain a clearer country-by-country view of the state of free expression across academic, digital and media/press freedoms.

Working with experts in machine learning and journalism from Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), Index on Censorship has launched this pilot project to allow everyone to scour the globe to see where free expression is adequately protected or most at risk based on data compiled from leading and trusted indices and metrics.’

This system measurement placed countries in a league table according to a digital rank, academic rank and media rank. The study describes the United Kingdom as only ‘partially open’ (3 out of 4) in every key area measured.

The UK is placed below advanced economies including Australia, Israel, and Japan and European neighbours such as Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, and Denmark are ranked higher than the UK.

In the Index ranking for January 2023, the UK is placed 50th between Tunisia and the United States.

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Update: United Kingdom moves down two places in the World Press Freedom Index for 2023 from 24 to 26

Reporters Without Borders said it was concerned about: ‘Worrying legislative proposals, the approval of Julian Assange’s extradition to the United States, and the treatment of journalists covering protests marred the UK’s press freedom record in 2022.’

See: https://rsf.org/en/country/united-kingdom

The UK profile:

‘Media landscape

The British media landscape continues to suffer from a lack of pluralism, with just three companies – News UK, Reach, and Daily Mail and General Trust – dominating the national newspaper market, concentrating power and influence in very few hands. Public service broadcaster the BBC continues to come under pressure, with the issue of its funding heavily politicised.

Political context

A restrictive political climate impacted press freedom in the UK in 2022. Despite government assurances that media freedom is a priority, legislative proposals with worrying implications for journalism continued to move through parliament. The arrest of journalists covering protests were also a chilling development in a country in which journalists have generally been able to operate freely. The home secretary’s approval of a US request to extradite Julian Assange is a further source of alarm.

Legal framework

The misuse of UK courts to pursue journalists and the proliferation of SLAPPs (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) continue to boost London’s reputation as the defamation capital of the world. While the government has promised anti-SLAPP measures, delays to formally introducing them continue to impact the UK’s press freedom record. There are also concerns about proposed bills in the parliamentary process which risk criminalising investigative journalism.

Economic context

Budgetary pressures aggravated by the pandemic have left many outlets forced to close their newsrooms or drastically reduce the number of staff. The threat of costly libel action and the precarious nature of freelancing have prevented many independent media outlets and freelance journalists from taking on sensitive investigations or forced them to crowdfund for legal support. The growth of initiatives to support local democracy reporting has been a welcome development over recent years.

Sociocultural context

Journalists in the UK are largely free to work without significant cultural constraints, though political polarisation increasingly exposes individuals to criticism and intimidation, especially online. In Northern Ireland, where divisions have deepened since the Belfast Agreement in 1998, journalists covering organised crime and paramilitary activities remain at risk. A shadow remains cast by lingering impunity for the 2001 murder of Sunday World journalist Martin O’Hagan.

Safety

The safety of journalists remains a concern in Northern Ireland, where they face threats for reporting on organised crime and paramilitary activities. No one has yet been sentenced for the murder of Lyra McKee in Derry in April 2019, though two suspects are expected to go on trial in 2023. The publication of a National Action Plan for the Safety of Journalists in March 2021 was a welcome step, but needs to be followed up with concrete actions.’

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Article 19 is another NGO researching and maintaining a Global Index or measurement of media freedom and freedom of expression.

In July 2023 it reported that the United Kingdom was classified as ‘open’ but ranked 34 and placed lower than comparable European nations such as Ireland (8), Germany (9) and France (23). Denmark and Sweden were positioned as the two most open countries in both the region and globally.

See: https://www.globalexpressionreport.org/

Media Release on report: https://www.article19.org/resources/the-global-expression-report-2023/

Article 19 explained that the global outlook shows ‘80% of us have less freedom of expression than we had a decade ago. That’s more than 6 billion people in more than 80 countries. The Global Expression Score (the mean average of country scores) has seen a 6-point decline since 2012, but the Human Score (weighted by population) – which shows the real cost of that loss – has dropped 13 points in just 10 years.’

See the Global Expression Report for 2022 https://www.article19.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/A19-GxR-Report-22.pdf

Global Expression Report for 2021 https://www.article19.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/A19-GxR-2021-FINAL.pdf

Press Gazette report and analysis: ‘Freedom of expression lower for 80% of global population than 20 years ago.’ See: https://pressgazette.co.uk/media-audience-and-business-data/freedom-of-expression-2023/

In this article Article 19’s executive director Quinn McKew observed about the UK:

‘”We continue to see a government that is incredibly hostile to the exercise of individuals right to dissent that is exacerbated by all the anti-protest laws. All of these are being housed under this kind of ‘war on woke’. But it’s not a ‘war on woke’, it’s a war on people’s ability to speak and to say things that are unpopular and that’s the fundamental reason why freedom of expression is considered a protected right, because it’s saying things that are unpopular leads to change, leads to calling out of corruption and leads to calling out of discrimination.

“Unfortunately, with things like the continued curbs on the rights to protest, the Online Safety Bill which puts incredible amounts of surveillance on individuals, and the continued push to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights, the entire environment in the UK for full protection of human rights and civil rights in particular is increasingly hostile and becomes more worrying.”

Press freedom in the UK is, however, a bright spot, with McKew saying the UK is continuing to make “good progress” on legally combating SLAPPs (strategic lawsuits against public participation) – lawsuits aimed at silencing criticism.

“The fact that anti-SLAPP amendments have been added to the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency bill is great and a real step forward,” she said

“This is happening at the time that we’re seeing the anti-SLAPP directive work in the EU pulling back from making really positive strides. So the UK is continuing to push all of this which is great to see. We’d like to see it, of course, expand beyond thinking that anti-SLAPP regulation and laws should be put in place just for economic crimes, but should be more broadly applied so that journalistic freedom is not impinged in this way.”

She added: “The UK press is still very robust and very diverse. I think sometimes the robustness and diversity of the press can mask some of the other underlying problems when it comes to freedom of expression in the country.”

Pdf file of this briefing available to download on link below

The second edition of The UK Media Law Pocketbook presents updated and extended practical guidance on everyday legal issues for working journalists and media professionals. This book covers traditional print and broadcast as well as digital multimedia, such as blogging and instant messaging, with clear explanations of new legal cases, legislation and regulation, and new chapters on freedom of information and social media law. Links to seven new online chapters allow readers to access all the most up-to-date laws and guidance around data protection, covering inquests, courts-martial, public inquiries, family courts, local government, and the media law of the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. Tim Crook critically explores emerging global issues and proposals for reform with concise summaries of recent cases illustrating media law in action, as well as tips on pitfalls to avoid.

The UK Media Law Pocketbook is a key reference for journalists and media workers across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The book’s companion website provides downloadable sound files, video summaries, and updates all the developments in one of the most dynamic and rapidly changing fields of law. Visit https://ukmedialawpocketbook.com.

Preview:- https://www.routledge.com/The-UK-Media-Law- Pocketbook/Crook/p/book/9781138309166?gclid=Cj0KCQjw_r6hBhDdARIsAMIDhV87Y5f5ZJ uc0aPf-FnNl6_hR3uUZgH6lxKek5sxMs9Mk2lAofCHjBYaAs4FEALw_wcB