Journalists' Safety Ranking: Hong Kong Places 37th (Globally) in Latest Index
Hey there! Let's dive into the latest report on journalist safety rankings, shall we? It turns out that Hong Kong landed at the 37th spot out of 73 countries evaluated, snagging a score of 79.17 out of 100. That's right; the city fared better than a few notable places, such as South Korea and Indonesia, but it didn't quite measure up to some European counterparts or Singapore.
Published recently, the Global Index on Journalists' Safety report highlighted Hong Kong's strength in the physical safety arena for reporters, surpassing even the United States. On the other hand, the city fell short in areas related to journalists' digital and psychological well-being.
More than 30,000 journalists spread across 73 jurisdictions participated in this joint initiative between the Worlds of Journalism Study research network and the University of Liverpool, along with Unesco. They were all grilled with standard questions about their financial, psychological, physical, and digital safety in their respective operating environments. Information from the Unesco Observatory of Killed Journalists was also utilized in compiling the index.
Approximately 289 journalists here in Hong Kong took part in the survey between September and October last year. This ranks Hong Kong 37th globally in terms of journalist safety, above several East Asian counterparts, including Thailand, South Korea, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
It's essential to note that although Hong Kong excelled in physical safety, other challenges remain. Journalists may face digital harassment and psychological stress, resulting in a lower score in those areas. Compared to other indexes, Hong Kong fares poorer in press freedom, ranking 140th on the RSF World Press Freedom Index, indicating a "very serious" situation due to political and legal pressures.
In a nutshell, while physical safety is relatively better here, broader journalistic freedoms are under threat. Curious about how the implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law might impact all of this? Well, that's a whole other ballgame. The vaguely defined law allows for broad prosecution of journalists, contributing to a decline in press freedom—but remember, it didn't directly impact the physical safety ranking. The political and legal environment, however, does have a significant impact on journalists' overall safety and well-being.
Now you're all caught up on the juicy journalistic safety stats in Hong Kong! Stay informed, my friend, because knowledge is power!
1) In the Global Index on Journalists' Safety report, Hong Kong was highlighted for its better performance in physical safety for reporters, surpassing countries like the United States.
2) Journalists in Hong Kong, while facing challenges in areas such as digital and psychological well-being, participated in the survey with over 28,900 journalists spread across 73 jurisdictions, which included Unesco and the University of Liverpool.
3) As per the survey results, Hong Kong ranks 37th globally in terms of journalist safety, securing a position above several East Asian countries, including South Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines.
4) While Hong Kong fares well in physical safety, it ranks 140th on the RSF World Press Freedom Index, indicating a "very serious" situation due to political and legal pressures, which have negative implications for journalists' overall safety and well-being.
