World press freedom hits new low as authoritarianism rises
Key takeaways
- With three in four countries "problematic" or worse, the 2026 World Press Freedom Index offers a bleak picture for global media.
- https://p.dw.com/p/5Crm OIn many countries around the world, working as a journalist has become increasingly dangerous Image: Ibrahim Ezzat/Nur Photo/picture alliance Advertisement.
- RSF now classifies the press freedom environment as "problematic" or worse in about three-fourths of the 180 countries evaluated.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
With three in four countries "problematic" or worse, the 2026 World Press Freedom Index offers a bleak picture for global media. The conditions for press freedom are rated "satisfactory" in only a few dozen countries.
https://p.dw.com/p/5Crm OIn many countries around the world, working as a journalist has become increasingly dangerous Image: Ibrahim Ezzat/Nur Photo/picture alliance Advertisement. The ability of journalists to work safely and independently is under threat globally, according to the 2026 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
The NGO, which has reported on the state of worldwide journalism annually since 2002, defines press freedom as "the ability of journalists as individuals and collectives to select, produce, and disseminate news in the public interest independent of political, economic, legal, and social interference and in the absence of threats to their physical and mental safety."