Hoera! Netherlands shoots to sixth place in press freedom rankings

It’s time for some good news! The press freedom rankings of 2023 are in — and the Netherlands is back in the top 10.

The Netherlands has made a comeback from its 28th-place ranking in 2022. In fact, it has now bounced back to a much more impressive 6th place.

This is according to the annual international press freedom index rankings carried out by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), reports the NOS. Wat leuk!  

To make it even better, the rankings were based on the findings among a total of 180 countries. This means landing in the top 10 definitely has us trots (proud).

The results are in

Both Germany and Belgium have fallen in the ratings, with the countries placing 31st and 21st respectively. The lowest-ranked European country is Greece, which stands at 107. 

So, without further ado, here are the countries with the highest press freedom! 👇

CountryRanking 2023Ranking 2022
Norway11
Ireland26
Denmark32
Sweden 43
Finland55
Netherlands628
Lithuania79
Estonia84
Portugal97
Timor-Leste1017

Protection of Dutch journalists

After the July 21 assassination of Dutch crime reporter Peter R. de Vries, the Dutch rankings took a serious hit. This makes sense, as the freedom index places a large emphasis on journalist safety. 

The ongoing dangers of organised crime in the Netherlands mean that some reporters receive police protection. 

Thankfully, physical attackers of reporters are usually prosecuted, and reporters can also use an emergency number to report threats that they receive both offline and online. 

This has become necessary as issues such as immigration, agriculture, and climate change have led to an increase in physical and verbal attacks against journalists. 

With the rise in the use of social media, abuse on the internet has also worsened, with women and people of colour experiencing the brunt of it.

Thankfully, this year there have been fewer threats against journalist’s safety, allowing our ranking to rise once again.

Diverse Dutch media

On top of this, a diverse media landscape and a wide range of national and regional daily newspapers and magazines are a groot positive for the country.

In fact, according to the RSF, the media is largely independent and trusted by most of the Dutch population.

However, it’s not all sunshine and stroopwafels. While Dutch media isn’t limited in sharing information and opinion, there is concern that the two media companies (DPG Media and Mediahuis) own a large majority of the papers. 

What do you think of the Netherlands’ ranking on overall press freedom? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!

Feature Image:Depositphotos
Simone Jacobs
Simone Jacobs
Originally from South Africa, Simone is having fun navigating the Dutch language, steep stairs, and bicycles (which she still manages to fall off of with her short, non-Dutch legs). An animal lover at heart, Simone can typically be found under her (growing?) mound of cats, where she uses the opportunity to read, write, and watch video compilations of creatures.

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