Armenia is ranked 78th among 180 countries in the 2017 World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders.

The print media are diverse and polarized, investigative journalism prospers on the Internet, but pluralism lags behind in the broadcast media, the report says.

However, according to the report, police violence against journalists continues and still goes unpunished. In July 2016, a dozen journalists were injured while covering the use of force to break up a demonstration.

In the crucial transition to digital TV, a future space for critical broadcasters will depend on the impartiality of the frequency bidding process. The Ilur.am news website and the Hraparak newspaper won an important legal victory in October 2015 when the constitutional court issued a ruling upholding the confidentiality of journalists’ sources.

As to the neighboring countries, Azerbaijan is ranked 162, Georgia – 64, Iran – 165 and Turkey – 155.

Norway tops the list, while North Korea is the last.

The report says media freedom is under threat now more than ever. A total of 21 countries are now colored black on the press freedom map because the situation there is classified as “very bad,” and 51 are colored red; the situation in these countries is classified as “bad.” In all, the situation has worsened in nearly two thirds (62.2%) of the 180 countries in the Index. The 2017 World Press Freedom Index unveils woes and ills that are obstacles to media freedom throughout the world.