Important Information!
It’s no surprise to hear that Malta  lost -6 points from last year’s ranking in the 2023 World Press Freedom Index. Malta now stands at 84 out of 180 countries.
Reporters without borders expressed concern about the hostile environment within which journalists were supposed to work:
“The ruling party wields a strong influence over the public broadcaster and uses public advertising to exert pressure on private media. Many politicians select specific journalists for exclusive interviews, while those considered “hostile” are ignored, including within the party media. The government requires an “access card” issued to journalists to cover government events or attend press conferences.”
“In Malta, journalists have to cope with a highly polarised environment under the strong influence of political parties. In 2021, a public inquiry into the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia was concluded, listing a comprehensive set of reforms the government has been reluctant to implement!”