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How free is the media worldwide?
Explore the data: red for declining countries, and green for advancing countries.
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From harassment of journalists to censorship (and self-censorship), media freedom is under threat across the globe – but there are glimmers of hope in parts of Africa, Asia, and Europe.
In the last decade:
- Government censorship efforts and harassment of journalists have worsened in 60 countries.
- The number of countries in which media self-censorship has worsened is more than 4 times greater than the number in which it has improved – but this gap is smaller in Europe and Central Asia, and in Sub-Saharan Africa.
- The number of countries in which harassment of journalists has worsened is more than 3 times greater than the number in which it has improved – but this gap is smaller in Asia and the Pacific, and in Sub-Saharan Africa.
For each of these indicators, we explore advances and declines over the last year (2022–23), the last 5 years (2018–23), and the last 10 years (2013–23) for each of these indicators, which are defined at the bottom of this page).
In the last decade:
- Government censorship efforts and harassment of journalists have worsened in 60 countries.
- The number of countries in which media self-censorship has worsened is more than 4 times greater than the number in which it has improved – but this gap is smaller in Europe and Central Asia, and in Sub-Saharan Africa.
- The number of countries in which harassment of journalists has worsened is more than 3 times greater than the number in which it has improved – but this gap is smaller in Asia and the Pacific, and in Sub-Saharan Africa.
For each of these indicators, we explore advances and declines over the last year (2022–23), the last 5 years (2018–23), and the last 10 years (2013–23) for each of these indicators, which are defined at the bottom of this page).
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