Jamaica’s standing in the global arena of press freedom has slipped, sparking alarm among media advocates and reigniting calls for legislative and institutional reform. According to the 2025 World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the country has fallen two places—from 24th in 2024 to 26th this year.
While Jamaica still holds the second-highest ranking in the Caribbean and remains among the world’s top countries for press freedom, the Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) cautions that this downward trend is a stark warning. “It is important to recall that the country once held a top 10 position, reaching an all-time high of sixth place in 2020. That decline over the last five years underscores the urgent need for meaningful interventions to preserve the gains made and strengthen our commitment to press freedom,” the PAJ stated in a release on Friday.
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The RSF report identifies several worrying developments contributing to the slide—chief among them, a deteriorating relationship between the media and public institutions. The findings cite growing mistrust, reduced transparency, and increased economic vulnerability of newsrooms as factors that collectively erode public interest journalism and threaten democratic accountability.
Of particular concern to the PAJ is a recent Supreme Court ruling in a defamation case against The Gleaner, Jamaica’s oldest newspaper. The association believes the decision undermines the legal principle of qualified privilege, which protects journalists who fairly and accurately report on matters debated in Parliament. “The use of the courts to sanction such reporting sends a chilling message to all journalists engaged in parliamentary reporting. It is a direct threat to freedom of expression and the media’s role as watchdog,” the PAJ warned.
The association also highlighted long-standing legislative shortcomings, particularly the failure to update the country’s Access to Information (ATI) Act. The PAJ argues that the outdated law, coupled with excessive exemptions and bureaucratic delays, hampers journalists’ ability to access crucial public data. “Timely and transparent access to public information is the lifeblood of a free press. Without it, journalists face unnecessary hurdles in obtaining the facts, increasing their legal exposure and weakening the quality of public discourse,” the association emphasized.
In response, the PAJ has issued a series of urgent recommendations: expedite the tabling and debate of the revised ATI legislation; reduce response times for ATI requests; equip public authorities with the necessary training and resources for compliance; and impose penalties for unjustified refusals or delays.
Beyond legislative reform, the PAJ raised broader structural issues that continue to pose threats to media independence. These include the concentration of media ownership, disproportionate reliance on state and private advertising revenues, and the rise of politically affiliated online entities that can distort the flow of information. The PAJ is calling for greater transparency in the allocation of state advertising, increased support for sustainable and independent journalism, and ongoing public education on media literacy and press freedom.
“Press freedom is not a static achievement—it is a continuous effort,” the PAJ concluded. “Jamaica’s slip in the World Press Freedom Index must be taken seriously. The PAJ remains committed to working with government, civil society, and the international community to protect the rights of journalists and to ensure that Jamaicans continue to receive accurate, timely, and independent news. A healthy democracy depends on it.”
