World Press Freedom Index

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2025 World Press Freedom Index .mw-parser-output .legend{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .legend-color{display:inline-block;min-width:1.25em;height:1.25em;line-height:1.25;margin:1px 0;text-align:center;border:1px solid black;background-color:transparent;color:black}.mw-parser-output .legend-text{} Good: 85-100 points Satisfactory: 70-85 points Problematic: 55-70 points Difficult: 40-55 points Very serious: <40 points Not classified Press freedom 2025.svg
2025 World Press Freedom Index
  Good: 85–100 points
  Satisfactory: 70–85 points
  Problematic: 55–70 points
  Difficult: 40–55 points
  Very serious: <40 points
  Not classified

The World Press Freedom Index (WPFI) is an annual ranking of 180 countries compiled and published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) since 2002 based upon the assessment of the non-governmental organization as well as surveys of professionals around the world, of the countries' press freedom records in the previous year. [2] [3] [4] It intends to reflect the degree of freedom that journalists, news organizations, and netizens have in each country, and the efforts made by authorities to respect this freedom. [3] Reporters Without Borders notes that the WPFI only deals with press freedom and does not measure the quality of journalism in the countries it assesses, nor does it look at human rights violations in general. [2]

Contents

Methodology

The WPFI is partly based on a questionnaire. [3]

The scores are evaluated against five distinct categories: political context, legal framework, economic context, sociocultural context and safety. [5] [4]

The methodology for the WPFI was dramatically changed in 2022. The thresholds for each categorisation have been shifted accordingly. [6] The methodology from 2013 to 2021 used seven general criteria: pluralism (measures the degree of representation of opinions in the media space), media independence, environment and self-censorship, legislative framework, transparency, infrastructure, and abuses.[ non-primary source needed ]

Political context

This category aims to evaluate the autonomy of media and the degree of support to the media to keep government and officials accountable.

The questionnaire takes account of the legal framework for the media (including penalties for press offences, the existence of a state monopoly for certain kinds of media and how the media are regulated) and the level of independence of the public media. It also includes violations of the free flow of information on the Internet.

Economic context

This category aims to evaluate economic constraints put on the press by carrying out its mission. [7]

Sociocultural context

This category aims to evaluate the social and cultural constraints put on journalists to self-censor against covering specific issues because it would be in opposition to the predominant culture of a country.

Safety

This category aims to evaluate journalists' safety in disseminating news without the risk of bodily harm, psychological or emotional distress or professional harm.

Violence against journalists, netizens, and media assistants, including abuses attributable to the state, armed militias, clandestine organizations or pressure groups, are monitored by RSF staff during the year and are also part of the final score. A higher score on the report corresponds to greater freedom of the press as reported by the organization. [7]

The questionnaire is sent to Reporters Without Borders's partner organizations: 18 freedom of expression non-governmental organizations located in five continents, its 150 correspondents around the world and journalists, researchers, jurists and human rights activists. [2]

Rankings and scores by country or places

180 countries are ranked on a scale from 0–100 points. [4] [8] [9] [10]

Between 2002-2014, a study found that the ratings became more similar to the press freedom ratings by Freedom House as well as more data became available to make ratings more precise. The authors also found a significant correlation with the United Nations Human Development Index scores. [11]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "RSF World Press Freedom Index 2025: economic fragility a leading threat to press freedom". Reporters Without Borders. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 How the index was compiled Archived 19 August 2013 at the Wayback Machine , Reporters Without Borders, 2013
  3. 1 2 3 "The Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders". Deutsche Welle. 11 February 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 Allsop, Jon (7 May 2024). "The state of global press freedom in 10 numbers". Columbia Journalism Review. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  5. ↑ Fischer, Sara (2 May 2025). "U.S. press freedom falls to historical low". Axios. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  6. ↑ 2022 World Press Freedom Index, Methodology Archived 7 July 2022 at the Wayback Machine Reporters Without Borders, 2022
  7. 1 2 "Reporters Without Borders: Global Press Freedom at Unprecedented, Critical Low". gijn.org. 2025. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  8. ↑ "Press Freedom Index warns disinformation poses major threat – DW – 05/03/2023". dw.com. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  9. ↑ "Canada drops four spots on the World Press Freedom Index". BBC News. 26 April 2017. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  10. ↑ France-Presse, Agence (20 April 2016). "'Era of propaganda': press freedom in decline, says Reporters Without Borders". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  11. ↑ Martin, Justin D.; Abbas, Dalia; Martins, Ralph J. (2 January 2016). "The Validity of Global Press Ratings: Freedom House and Reporters Sans Frontières, 2002–2014". Journalism Practice. 10 (1): 93–108. doi:10.1080/17512786.2015.1010851. ISSN   1751-2786.
  12. ↑ "RSF World Press Freedom Index 2025: economic fragility a leading threat to press freedom | RSF". rsf.org. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  13. ↑ "Index 2024 – Global score". Reporters Without Borders . Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  14. ↑ "Index 2023 – Global score". Reporters Without Borders . Archived from the original on 10 May 2023. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  15. ↑ "Index 2022 – Global score". Reporters Without Borders. Archived from the original on 8 September 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
  16. ↑ "Index 2021 – Global score". Reporters Without Borders. Archived from the original on 1 September 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
  17. ↑ "Index 2020 – Global score". Reporters Without Borders. Archived from the original on 5 September 2022. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
  18. ↑ "Index 2019 – Global score". Reporters Without Borders. Archived from the original on 3 September 2022. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
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