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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.
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).
Results from the July release of our 2024 Global Expression Report indicate that freedom of expression is in decline across the world.
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.
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).
Results from the July release of our 2024 Global Expression Report indicate that freedom of expression is in decline across the world.
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