On Friday – precisely in entrance of the World Press Freedom Day – reporters with out borders (RSF) revealed its 2025 World Press Freedom Index, which confirmed a exceptional decline within the rating record from China (from 172 to 178 of 180) and Hong Kong (from 135 to 140 of 180) in comparison with the earlier yr. The outcomes present that for the primary time within the historical past of the RSF index, The global average state of press freedom has deteriorated into a “difficult situation”:
Though bodily assaults in opposition to journalists are probably the most seen violations of freedom of the press, financial strain can also be a extra essential, extra insidious downside. The financial indicator for the RSF World Press Freedom Index is now on an unprecedented, vital low, since its decline continued in 2025. In consequence, the worldwide state of freedom of the press is assessed for the primary time within the historical past of the index as a “troublesome scenario”.
[β¦] The outcomes of the index have been warned of a worldwide decline in press freedom for over ten years. In 2025, a brand new low arose: the typical rating of all rated international locations fell beneath 55 factors and fell into the class of a “troublesome scenario”. Greater than six out of ten international locations (112 in whole) recorded their whole values ββwithin the index.
For the primary time within the historical past of the index, the situations for training journalism are “troublesome” or “very severe” in additional than half of the world international locations and is passable in lower than one in every of 4 years.
[β¦] Of the 32 international locations and territories within the Asian-Pacific area, 20 recorded their financial worth within the 2025 World Press Freedom Index. Systemic media management in authoritarian regimes is commonly impressed by the China’s propaganda mannequin. China (178th) stays the world’s largest jail for journalists and entered the bottom trio of the index, which got here simply earlier than North Korea (179th). The focus of media possession within the arms of influential teams which can be in energy – as in India (151st) – mixed with growing financial strain additionally in established democracies, press freedom within the area is confronted with growing repression and growing uncertainty. [Source]
For the primary time, Hong Kong slipped into the “Crimson Zone” or the bottom class of the index subsequent to China. RSF additionally famous that Hong Kong is without doubt one of the territories that are actually steering subsidies on Professional authorities media. Tom Grundy from the Hong Kong Free Press reported The uniquely steep waste of the city in the ranking:
“At RSF we now have by no means seen such a pointy and fast deterioration within the press freedom of a rustic or territory,” mentioned Aleksandra Bielakowska Aleksandra Bielakowska of the Asian-Pacific Workplace within the Asian-Pacific workplace. “As we speak, Hong Kong is more and more just like neighboring China, the most important jail on this planet for journalists.”
[β¦] Hong Kong noticed sharp burglaries in all 5 indicators of the guard canine: political context, authorized framework, financial context, socio-cultural context and safety to a historic low rating of 39.86.
The free expression, the NGO, mentioned: βThe principle issue for this decline is the deterioration of the political indicator (-7.28 factors), specifically on the premise of the conviction of September 2024 forβ turmoil βby Chung Pui-Kuen and Patrick Lam, former editor of stand Information. That is the primary property in opposition to the media because the territory transferred to the territory over the territory by way of the territory in 1997 over the territory territory within the years within the yr 7. “” [Source]
The 2025 RSF index of the World Press Freedom is over. It’s formally within the “Crimson Zone”, along with China 178. N-Korea is final. To set the context: HK was categorized in 2002.
HKFP is without doubt one of the many media organizations which can be uncovered to the financial strain highlighted by RSF:
HKFP survived threats, harassment and examination of a number of authorities departments final yr, however has now confronted with a financing disaster. In full: buff.ly/zxxdall
– Hong Kong Free Press HKFP (@Hong Kongrfp.com) 2025-05-023: 01: 04.657z
Aleksandra Bielakowska, supervisor of the Asian-Pacific space within the Asian-Pacific space, emphasised how the flexibility of the international medium to function in China was severely restricted, particularly in areas of border areas Tibet and Xinjiang. She described it as “[n]OT solely an authoritarian nation, however actually one Totalitarian system in which nobody can speak inNo one can report issues. “”The difficulty is always security as an exile media. Everybody may be very afraid to speak to us and work with us, βmentioned Shirley Leung Ka Lai, editor -in -chief of Photon Media from Hong Kong. She added that the work anonymously creates obstacles to the reference to sources, which frequently reluctantly belief calls from unknown figures overseas.
In A opinion On Friday, the exterior correspondence membership (FCC) from Hong Kong confirmed his help for journalists and defined that the day serves as a reminiscence of the town’s officers to respect its declared obligations in relation to freedom of the press. Final month, The FCC published its Press Freedom Survey for 2025Which resulted in a major deterioration in working situations for journalists in Hong Kong.
Of the 69 respondents, 43 (62%) acknowledged that her work surroundings had modified as a journalist in Hong Kong since July 2023, the time of the final press freedom survey. The Nationwide Safety Act, its related exams and the perceived Exodus of worldwide information organizations have been talked about as causes for the change.
The respondents additionally discovered that their sources are extra involved about sharing their very own opinions. 44 (64%) mentioned that their sources are much less prepared to be quoted or to debate delicate subjects.
Journalists are additionally cautious earlier than their very own writing, with 45 (65%) censored themselves up to now 18 months, and 12 (18%) that that they had “significantly” censored themselves.
Ten respondents (16%) acknowledged that they confronted minor interventions in reporting, and a major interference.
The notion of the media surroundings can also be exceptional. 4 individuals (6%) say that they’re “very involved”, and 36 individuals (52%) are “barely involved” about the opportunity of arrest or persecution of their reporting or opinion articles or work that they’ve processed. [Source]
Additional data on this subject could be present in CDT’s earlier reporting Freedom of the press in China and Hong Kong, together with The annual report of last year of the international correspondent membership in China, which confirmed an analogous image of monitoring, incapacity and intimidation of journalists.
