The WPFI is based on a
questionnaire for all categories except safety, which RSF monitors. used seven general criteria:
pluralism (measures the degree of
representation of opinions in the media space),
media independence, environment and
self-censorship, legislative framework,
transparency, infrastructure, and
abuses. In 2013, Reporters Without Borders said that the WPFI only deals with press freedom and does not measure the quality of
journalism in the countries it assesses. The
scores are evaluated against five distinct categories: political context, legal framework, economic context, sociocultural context and
safety.
Sociocultural context This category aims to evaluate
the social and cultural constraints put on journalists to
self-censor against covering specific issues because it would be in opposition to the
predominant culture of a country.
Safety RSF uses its global monitoring of the safety of journalists to score this category. This category aims to evaluate journalists'
safety in disseminating
news without the risk of
bodily harm,
psychological or emotional distress or
professional harm.
Violence against journalists, netizens, and media assistants, including abuses attributable to the
state,
armed militias,
clandestine organizations or
pressure groups, are monitored by RSF staff during the year and are also part of the final score. A higher score on the report corresponds to greater freedom of the press as reported by the organization. ==Rankings and scores by country or places==