Most people around the world still believe the press operates freely in their countries, even as global watchdogs warn conditions for journalists are worsening.
A new international survey finds a median of 64% of adults across 131 countries say their national media have “a lot of freedom,” a figure that has remained largely unchanged for more than a decade. About 30% disagreed, highlighting a persistent gap in how people view press conditions worldwide.
The findings arrive ahead of World Press Freedom Day and underscore a growing disconnect between public perception and independent assessments that point to increasing threats facing journalists and media organizations.
Perceptions of press freedom vary sharply by country. In Finland, 93% of adults say the media operate freely, among the highest levels recorded globally. At the other end of the spectrum, just 26% of people in the State of Palestine share that view. Across Europe, particularly in Nordic countries, public confidence in media freedom remains strong, with more than 80% of respondents in the top-ranked nations reporting high levels of freedom.
But that confidence is far from universal. Several countries in sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and parts of Eastern Europe rank among the lowest for perceived press freedom, with Bulgaria and Greece standing out as exceptions within Europe.
Long-term trends show little overall movement globally, but notable declines in specific countries. Hungary has seen one of the steepest drops, with perceptions of media freedom falling dramatically since 2010. Hong Kong and Taiwan have also recorded significant declines, while countries including Greece, Bulgaria, Spain and Canada have experienced smaller but still notable decreases.
In the United States, perceptions have slipped in recent years. About three in four adults — 75% — now say the media operate freely, among the lowest levels recorded in the past 15 years. That marks a sharp decline from 86% in 2022, placing the U.S. among the countries with the most pronounced recent drops in perceived press freedom.
Despite the relative stability in public opinion, independent evaluations paint a more concerning picture. Global press freedom has declined in recent years, with watchdog groups reporting that more countries are becoming difficult or dangerous places for journalists to operate. Economic pressures, political constraints and threats to journalists’ safety have all contributed to the trend.
The data suggest the gap between perception and reality is especially pronounced in less democratic countries, where public views often do not align with independent measures of press freedom. In more democratic nations, perceptions tend to more closely reflect external evaluations.
Taken together, the findings indicate that while many people believe the press remains free, the erosion of media freedom in many parts of the world may be happening with limited public awareness.
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