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Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on Friday announced that the economic indicator in its 2025 World Press Freedom Index has fallen to an unprecedented, critical low, prompting the global state of press freedom to be classified as a “difficult situation” for the first time in the Index’s history. Of the five metrics RSF tracks, the indicator measuring the financial conditions of journalism and economic pressure on the industry dragged down the world’s overall score, pushing the average below 55 points for the first time.
RSF warned that concentrated media ownership, opaque or absent public aid, and advertiser and backer pressure force outlets into “a race to attract audiences at the expense of quality reporting”. In 160 of the 180 countries assessed, news organizations achieve financial stability “with difficulty” or “not at all”, and nearly one‑third of countries have already seen media outlets shut down for economic reasons. Even high‑ranking democracies such as New Zealand (16th) and South Africa (27th) are grappling with strained revenue models that threaten editorial independence.
The Index also highlights catastrophic conditions in conflict zones and authoritarian states. In Gaza, where press facilities have been destroyed and nearly 200 journalists killed, Palestine ranks 163rd. Nicaragua (172nd), Belarus (166th), Iran (176th), Myanmar (169th), Sudan (156th), Azerbaijan (167th), and Afghanistan (175th) are among 34 countries experiencing “mass closures” of media outlets, leading to widespread exile of journalists.
Tech‑giant dominance of online advertising exacerbates the crisis. RSF notes that Google, Meta, Apple, Amazon, and Microsoft absorbed a growing share of ad revenues, with global social‑media ad spending rising 14 percent to USD 247.3 billion in 2024. Meanwhile, media‑ownership concentration is severe in 46 countries, including state or oligarch control in Russia (171st) and state‑favored outlets in Hungary (68th) and Georgia (114th).
For over a decade, RSF has tracked declines in press freedom. In 2025, the combined pressures of economic fragility and political repression have, for the first time, placed the global press in “a difficult situation”. The report underscores the urgent need for transparent, stable financing to safeguard independent journalism. The organization calls on governments to implement policies that support media pluralism, protect journalists, and ensure the economic viability of news organizations. Without such measures, the decline in press freedom is likely to continue, undermining democratic societies worldwide.
The post RSF Index: Press Freedom Suffers Historic Low Amid Economic Crisis appeared first on JURIST - News.
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RSF warned that concentrated media ownership, opaque or absent public aid, and advertiser and backer pressure force outlets into “a race to attract audiences at the expense of quality reporting”. In 160 of the 180 countries assessed, news organizations achieve financial stability “with difficulty” or “not at all”, and nearly one‑third of countries have already seen media outlets shut down for economic reasons. Even high‑ranking democracies such as New Zealand (16th) and South Africa (27th) are grappling with strained revenue models that threaten editorial independence.
RSF’s report describes the United States (57th, down two places) as “the leader of the economic depression”, noting that its economic indicator has dropped more than 14 points over two years. Local journalism in vast regions of the US is becoming unsustainable: over 60 percent of journalists surveyed in Arizona, Florida, Nevada, and Pennsylvania say it is “difficult to earn a living wage as a journalist”, and 75 percent believe “the average media outlet struggles for economic viability”.
The Index also highlights catastrophic conditions in conflict zones and authoritarian states. In Gaza, where press facilities have been destroyed and nearly 200 journalists killed, Palestine ranks 163rd. Nicaragua (172nd), Belarus (166th), Iran (176th), Myanmar (169th), Sudan (156th), Azerbaijan (167th), and Afghanistan (175th) are among 34 countries experiencing “mass closures” of media outlets, leading to widespread exile of journalists.
Tech‑giant dominance of online advertising exacerbates the crisis. RSF notes that Google, Meta, Apple, Amazon, and Microsoft absorbed a growing share of ad revenues, with global social‑media ad spending rising 14 percent to USD 247.3 billion in 2024. Meanwhile, media‑ownership concentration is severe in 46 countries, including state or oligarch control in Russia (171st) and state‑favored outlets in Hungary (68th) and Georgia (114th).
For over a decade, RSF has tracked declines in press freedom. In 2025, the combined pressures of economic fragility and political repression have, for the first time, placed the global press in “a difficult situation”. The report underscores the urgent need for transparent, stable financing to safeguard independent journalism. The organization calls on governments to implement policies that support media pluralism, protect journalists, and ensure the economic viability of news organizations. Without such measures, the decline in press freedom is likely to continue, undermining democratic societies worldwide.
The post RSF Index: Press Freedom Suffers Historic Low Amid Economic Crisis appeared first on JURIST - News.
Continue reading...
Note: We don't have any responsibilities about this news. Its been posted here by Feed Reader and we had no controls and checking on it. And because News posted here will be deleted automatically after 21 days, threads are closed so that no one spend time to post and discuss here. You can always check the source and discuss in their site.