Fading fourth estate

While Nepal’s press freedom ranking indicates progress, the dwindling credibility of the FNJ suggests otherwise.

Nepal has made notable progress in press freedom internationally, ranking 74th in the 2024 World Press Freedom Index. According to Reporters Sans Frontières (RSF), a global media watchdog, Nepal has outperformed other South Asian nations in political, economic, legislative and social indicators. This suggests a more hospitable environment for journalists and media professionals than its neighbours. The remaining South Asian countries, as noted by RSF, face serious challenges to media freedom, particularly from political pressure and censorship, which has led to a drop in their rankings in 2024.