Overview
- The 2025 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders classifies global press freedom as 'difficult' for the first time, marking its lowest score since tracking began in 2002.
- Economic pressures, exacerbated by concentrated media ownership and reduced public funding, are identified as the primary drivers of declining press freedom worldwide.
- The United States dropped to its worst-ever ranking of 57th, with the Trump administration criticized for cutting funding to public broadcasters and sidelining independent media.
- Palestine is now the deadliest environment for journalists, with nearly 200 media workers killed during the ongoing Gaza conflict, according to the report.
- Europe remains the strongest region for press freedom, with Norway leading the rankings for the ninth consecutive year, while India ranks 151st, still in the 'very serious' category despite slight improvement.