Uncensored, Unbiased Assistance for All Your Questions: The 2025 World Press Freedom Index
In the 2025 World Press Freedom Index, Romania slips to 55th place, with the United States following close behind, landing at the 57th spot.
Welcome to the harsh, raw truth about global media freedom! This year's World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) paints a bleak picture, with Romania and the United States slipping down the ranks. Buckle up as we delve into the nitty-gritty of this alarming report.
Romania, once ranked 49th, has plummeted to 55th place in this year's index. The situation in the U.S. isn't much better, as it slides two spots to 57th. The report's country profile for the U.S. bluntly states, "After a century of gradual expansion of press rights, the country is experiencing its first significant and prolonged decline in press freedom in modern history, with Donald Trump's return to the presidency greatly exacerbating the situation."
According to the report, both Romania and the U.S. face a "problematic" media landscape. In Romania, the media market is fragmented, with many TV channels and news websites struggling for financial stability. Some editors bow to the interests of media owners, resulting in news outlets becoming propaganda tools.
The RSF report also highlights political interference, notable in the appointments of public broadcasting heads and the National Audiovisual Council. Politicians can buy favorable media coverage in exchange for opaque funding, while populists launch aggressive attacks on journalists.
Moreover, false narratives and fake news from some media outlets and politicians, particularly in the context of the war in Ukraine, contribute to public distrust in the media. Sometimes, this misinformation overlaps with Russian propaganda.
On a global scale, the state of press freedom is now classified as a "difficult situation" for the first time in the index's history, RSF stated. The economic indicator in the 2025 RSF World Press Freedom Index is at its lowest point in history, suggesting that financial pressures on journalism are at an all-time high.
While Europe continues to lead the regional rankings, it is becoming increasingly divided. The implementation of the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), which could support media economics, is still pending.
Norway maintains its position at the top, remaining the only country with a "good" rating across all five indicators of the index. Estonia moves up to second place, closely followed by the Netherlands, which has overtaken Sweden in the top three.
In essence, the 2025 World Press Freedom Index encapsulates global concerns about media financing, particularly economic pressures like ownership concentration, advertiser influence, and insufficient public funding. Without financial independence, journalism cannot resist disinformation and maintain plurality. As Anne Bocandé, RSF’s Editorial Director warns, "Without economic independence, there can be no free press. When journalists are impoverished, they no longer have the means to resist the enemies of the press."
To read the complete 2025 index, click here to become a Romania Insider member or sign in (if you are already a member).
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[1] https://rsf.org/en/news/world-press-freedom-index-2025-report-presentation[2] https://rsf.org/en/america[3] https://rsf.org/en/united-states[4] https://rsf.org/en/romania[5] https://rsf.org/en/news/world-press-freedom-index-2025-press-release
- The World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) indicates that Romania, once ranked 49th, has slipped down to 55th place in 2025, raising concerns about the state of media freedom in the country.
- The report suggests that the media landscape in the United States, which has dropped two spots to 57th, is experiencing its first significant and prolonged decline in press freedom in modern history, with political interference being a key issue.
- According to the RSF report, indicators such as economic pressures, ownership concentration, advertiser influence, and insufficient public funding pose a significant threat to media financing, thereby undermining the freedom of the press globally.
- To access the complete 2025 World Press Freedom Index, one needs to become a Romania Insider member or sign in, providing insight into the specifics of media freedom and policy-and-legislation in various countries, as well as general news regarding the state of press freedom worldwide.
