TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The media industry is facing key challenges, including digital chaos that hampers news discoverability, disinformation from malign actors, and a decline in public trust in journalism, according to Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
Speaking at the RSF Asia-Pacific bureau’s seventh-anniversary celebration on Wednesday (Oct. 16), RSF Director General Thibaut Bruttin said the digital environment makes it difficult for sustainable journalism to thrive. He added that disinformation, particularly from Taiwan's neighboring countries, exacerbates the problem.
Bruttin also pointed to the declining public trust in media, attributing it to poor-quality reporting and propaganda-driven confusion. To address this, RSF launched the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI), a transparency mechanism aimed at encouraging media outlets to self-regulate and combat misinformation.
In his opening remarks, Taiwan's Deputy Foreign Minister François Wu (吳志中) highlighted the country’s achievement of ranking 27th out of 180 countries in the 2023-2024 RSF World Press Freedom Index, marking its best position ever.
RSF has been instrumental in supporting local journalists and raising awareness of press freedom, particularly in regions where reporters face threats and censorship.
Cedric Alviani, head of RSF's Asia-Pacific bureau, emphasized Taiwan's role as a vibrant democracy and a place where RSF can freely address media issues in authoritarian countries like China and North Korea. Alviani cited Reuters Institute data, noting that only three out of ten Taiwanese trust local media, which he said has become overly sensational and politically polarized.
With the media landscape constantly evolving, RSF’s Asia-Pacific bureau remains committed to empowering journalists to uncover the truth and promote press freedom.