Jordan and the international media community will observe World Press Freedom Day this Sunday, at a time when journalism faces existential threats and unprecedented pressures.
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This year’s celebrations come amidst alarming figures revealed in the latest UNESCO report on "World Trends in Freedom of Expression and Media Development," which tracks a clear erosion of free speech and media independence.
The report describes an "unprecedented" historical shift, noting that such severe regressions in freedom of expression have only occurred during exceptional historical moments, such as World War I, World War II, and the Cold War. This decline sounds an alarm regarding societies' ability to access the truth.
Increased Censorship and Receding Freedoms
The report documents profound transformations in the media landscape between 2022 and 2025, most notably:
10% decline in the Global Freedom of Expression Index since 2012.
Self-censorship has expanded to reach 63% among media professionals.
Government and influential entities' grip on media institutions has increased by 48%.
Academic and artistic freedoms have declined by 37%.
The Heavy Price of the Word
UNESCO data highlights the high cost journalists pay to deliver the news:
310 journalists killed between early 2022 and September 2025 (including 24 women).
162 journalists killed while covering armed conflicts.
82 journalists killed in 2024 alone.
At least 46 journalists killed since 2010 due to work related to climate and environmental issues.
Disinformation and Hate Speech in Elections
In 2024, an "Election Marathon" saw votes in 72 countries involving 3.7 billion people. A UNESCO/Ipsos survey of 16 countries revealed:
9 out of 10 participants expressed concern over the impact of disinformation on election integrity.
67% of internet users were exposed to direct hate speech on digital platforms.
Hate speech has become systematically integrated with disinformation campaigns aimed at dehumanization and inciting violence.
Digital Violence Against Women
Online harassment has surged, specifically targeting female journalists:
73% of female journalists reported being attacked online, with 20% experiencing real-world physical attacks linked to digital violence.
By 2025, 42% of female journalists reported that digital attacks escalated into physical threats or violence, a percentage that has doubled since 2020.
The AI Challenge and Tech Dominance
The dominance of big tech and Artificial Intelligence (AI) poses an existential threat to professional media sustainability:
Over 40% of survey participants use AI for general content creation.
The report warns that these technologies may marginalize serious professional journalism in favor of content entirely governed by algorithms.
Glimmers of Hope
Despite the grim outlook, the report notes positive trends:
The digital revolution allowed 1.5 billion additional people to access information between 2020 and 2025.
Investigative journalism and cross-border collaborative projects are flourishing.
140 UN member states have now adopted legal guarantees ensuring the public’s right to access information.
UNESCO’s Call from Lusaka
Ahead of the World Press Freedom Conference in Lusaka, Zambia, UNESCO Director-General Dr. Khaled El-Enany issued an urgent appeal to governments:
"Newsrooms worldwide face an existential threat as they struggle to cover costs, despite being the last line of defense for citizens against manipulation. Information is a public good, and I call on member states to invest in journalism as an essential pillar of peace."
The report concluded with a striking analysis: just 15 days of global military spending would equal the total investment required to support journalism worldwide for an entire year.
