Press freedom worldwide falls to its lowest level in 25 years

Lead

Press freedom around the world has fallen to its lowest level in a quarter of a century, according to the annual World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). The average score for the 180 countries assessed was the lowest in the index's 25-year history, with more than half of all countries now falling into the 'difficult' or 'very serious' categories for press freedom.

Coverage Comparison

The index, which measures the level of freedom enjoyed by journalists and media outlets, found that only seven mostly Nordic countries rank as 'good' for press freedom, with Norway, the Netherlands, and Estonia in the top three. France ranks 25th with a 'satisfactory' score, while the United Kingdom improved two places to 18th.

The United States continues to slide, falling seven places to 64th with a 'problematic' rating, placing it between Botswana and Panama. RSF states that US President Donald Trump has turned his repeated attacks on the press into a systematic policy. France 24 reports that this has included the detention and subsequent deportation of Salvadoran journalist Mario Guevara, who was documenting a protest against immigration raids. The Guardian notes that only a fifth of the global population lived in a country with 'good' press freedom in 2002, a figure that has now plummeted to less than 1%.

Key Claims

• More than half of the world's countries fall into the 'difficult' or 'very serious' categories for press freedom, the first time this has happened in the index's history.
• The proportion of the global population living in a country with 'good' press freedom has fallen from 20% to less than 1%.
• The United States has dropped seven places to 64th, with President Trump's attacks on the press described as 'systematic'.
• El Salvador has dropped 105 places since 2014, while Niger has fallen 37 places due to deteriorating conditions in the Sahel.
• RSF statistics recorded 13 journalists killed since January 1, 2026, with 471 currently detained and 135 missing in action.

Perspectives

"Journalism is being asphyxiated by hostile political discourse towards reporters, weakened by a faltering media economy, and squeezed by laws being used as weapons against the press," RSF said in its report. The organisation highlighted that 'Eastern Europe and the Middle East' are the two most dangerous regions for journalists, according to Al Jazeera.

Anne Bocandé, RSF's editorial director, posed a direct question: "How much longer will we tolerate the suffocation of journalism, the systematic obstruction of reporters and the continued erosion of press freedom? Authoritarian states, complicit or incompetent political powers, predatory economic actors are undermining the very foundations of our democracies."

The dramatic fall of El Salvador, which has dropped 105 places since 2014 following the launch of a war against the Maras criminal gangs, was highlighted by multiple sources. France 24 also noted the sharp decline in Niger, attributed to the 'deterioration of press freedom in the Sahel over several years' amid attacks by armed groups and ruling juntas.

Drastic cuts to the US Agency for Global Media workforce have had global repercussions, according to Dawn, leading to the closure, suspension, and downsizing of international broadcasters such as Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, and Radio Free Asia in countries where they were some of the last reliable sources of information.

Norway topped the index for the 10th consecutive year, while Eritrea came last for the third year running, according to The Guardian. The report was released ahead of World Press Freedom Day on May 3.