Despite a marked improvement in the country’s ranking on the 2024 World Press Freedom Index, the Media Organization of Jamaica (MAJ) says the Government must do more to provide an environment where local media can thrive and journalists can practice their craft safely while earning a decent living.

In a statement on Friday (May 3), to commemorate World Press Freedom Day, the MAJ said the trickle-down effects of geopolitical tensions such as the Ukraine/Russia and the Israel and Palestine conflicts continue to impact how local media operate.

It noted that geopolitical tensions threaten press freedom through prolonged economic uncertainty, even as countries try to adjust to the new depressed environment brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic four years ago.

“Media houses continue to struggle to earn sufficiently to sustain independence and provide decent wages for their journalists. They are grappling with the fight by advertisers-the fuel of the traditional media-to digital platforms many of which do not uphold strong journalistic principles. The news is not good,” the MAJ said.

MAJ says journalists still contend with outdated defamation legislation, which burdens media houses seeking to provide transparency on issues of public interest.

Additionally, it said social media platforms pose a threat by extracting advertising spend to foreign jurisdictions, without paying government taxes and without directly compensating local media houses.

“Finally, we have a new broadcast content code being introduced which seemingly expands the jurisdiction of broadcast regulators to platforms for which they have no authority to regulate; does nothing to change the high level of subjectivity with which regulatory matters are dealt and which attempts to mandate implementation to technologies out of the reach of most members,” MAJ said.

The MAJ is now calling for a collaborative approach to tackling these issues where journalists can practice their craft and earn a livable wage.

Jamaica advanced eight places on the 2024 World Press Freedom Index ranking to 24th with a global score of 77.3, compared to the 32nd spot last year.