The latest edition of Reporters Without Borders’ World Press Freedom Index has found that Taiwan’s press is the 43rd freest in the world. The index surveyed press freedom in 180 countries and territories.
Taiwan also ranked 43rd in last year’s report.
Reporters Without Borders says that political interference in news reporting is relatively rare in Taiwan. However, it also says that Taiwan’s media climate is both polarized and “dominated by sensationalism and the pursuit of profit”.
Reporters Without Borders says that Beijing uses these weak points to put pressure on some Taiwanese media outlets, especially outlets that hold business interests in China. It also says that China orchestrates online disinformation campaigns targeting Taiwan, which it says may lead Taiwan to take “questionable retaliatory measures” such as refusing visas to Chinese journalists it sees as hostile.