"Our latest world press freedom index contains welcome surprises, highlights sombre realities and confirms certain trends," Reporters Without Borders secretary-general Jean-Francois Julliard was quoted as saying upon the publication of the ninth annual index on Wednesday.
"More than ever before, we see that economic development, institutional reform and respect for fundamental rights do not necessarily go hand in hand. The defence of media freedom continues to be a battle, a battle of vigilance in the democracies of old Europe and a battle against oppression and injustice in the totalitarian regimes still scattered across the globe," he said.
He congratulated Scandinavian countries and the Netherlands and Switzerland for being "the engines of press freedom".
Finland, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland share the top spot on this year's list.
Of the 27-EU bloc, 13 are among the top 20 countries, but poor rankings of France (44th), Italy (49th), Romania (52nd) and Greece and Bulgaria (both share the 70th place) give reasons for concern.
Last year, Croatia's disastrous ranking was ascribed to the assassination of Ivo Pukanic.
This year, Croatia shifted upward and finished at the 62nd place together with Botswana.
Slovenia is 46th, one spot ahead of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Macedonia finished as 68th, Serbia ranked 85th, Kosovo 92nd and Montenegro 104th at the ranking covering 178 countries.