Ford Foundation-funded RSF gives Ravish Kumar independence prize

On 3rd December, Reporters Without Borders held its 32nd edition of the Press Freedom Awards in Washington, DC. According to its 2023 financial statement, the European Commission MFA, AIDS, Front Line, Oak Foundation, NHRF TAPIEI, MOF Danida Taiwan, Ford Foundation, OSF Core Support, and others are among the top funders of RSF. NED operates with a high degree of transparency and accountability reflecting our founders’ belief that democracy promotion overseas should be conducted openly.” The RSF is also supported by the Ford Foundation, which has a history of financing anti-social elements in India. RSF has shown a particularly extreme prejudice against Venezuela, portraying oligarch-owned right-wing media outlets and US-funded opposition groups that have actively participated in numerous violent coup attempts against the democratically elected socialist government as hapless victims of an autocratic regime.” RSF’s dubious press freedom rating of India In May 2023, RSF released its annual Press Freedom Report, in which it put India at 161st position out of 180 countries. Sabrang Communication and Publishing Pvt Limited, with which Teesta is associated, received $ 2.9 lakh from Ford Foundation as a grant to “address communalism, caste-based discrimination in India, including media strategies”.