Although physical attacks against journalists are the most visible violations of press freedom, economic pressure is also a major, more insidious problem.
The economic indicator of the RSF World Press Freedom Index now stands at an unprecedented, critical low as its decline continued in 2025. As a result, the global state of press freedom is now classified as a “difficult situation” for the first time in the history of the Index.
Press freedom by region
Africa: media independence undermined by ownership consolidation and pressure from advertisers
Press freedom is experiencing a worrying decline in many African nations.
The region records the highest number of countries with declining economic indicators as 80 per cent have seen their economic scores drop. In many cases, media ownership is concentrated in the hands of a few private groups and individuals with political interests, which compromises newsrooms’ editorial independence.