Truly, thanks for your response - I understand now that it does seem to be one of the major factors that goes into their ranking.

I just feel like ranking press freedom is flawed when things are this fucked. Here in the US, whistleblowers are persecuted or killed, accurate and unbiased reporting on events feels like it almost never happens, omission of newsworthy events is rampant, independent journalism is at the behest of a few corporations that have total control of the algorithms and the platforms that these journalists rely on, a couple corporations own the entirety of all mainstream media… I could go on, but I’d just be preaching to the choir in all likelihood.