While World Press Freedom Day is celebrated this Saturday, May 3, Reporters Sans Frontière (RSF) published its annual classification of countries on press freedom on Saturday. (new window) Main observation: freedom of the press is deteriorating all over the world, even in Canada, which has declined seven places since the last ranking. The United States is now relegated to 57e world rank.
“This is an alarm signal that we set with this new report,” said Anne Bocandé, editorial director of reporters without borders on Saturday, on the air by RDI on Saturday.
“The state of press freedom deteriorates all over the world. Journalism has never been so little protected, but that’s what makes it more necessary than ever, ”she continues.
Moreover, for the first time since the beginnings of annual publications in the ranking, RSF qualifies the situation of “difficult” press freedom on the planet’s scale.
“This means that more and more countries are in red,” she warns.
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This global deterioration in press freedom does not spare Canada, which is now at the 21ste Position, when he had always carved out a place among the first 20 positions. It is even a decline of seven places since the ranking in 2024.
To explain this “marked” decline in Canada, Ms. Bocandé lists the economic weakening of the media, political threats to public media, the issue of protection in the face of the use of spy software and that of access to information.
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In 2025, the conditions for the exercise of journalism were bad in half of the countries of the world, notes reporters without borders.
Photo : iStock
Despite these obstacles to journalists’ work, the new Prime Minister Mark Carney did not fail to emphasize World Press Freedom Day on Saturday, promising Protect and finance the coverage of local news, especially those that present the point of view of the Aboriginal
.
In a world dominated by foreign media and disinformation, we need Canadian voices more than ever
he said.
American journalism in danger
Freedom of the press with our southern neighbor also continues to tumble; the United States is now located at 57e rank of the world ranking. For the editorial director of reporters without borders, it is even “a relatively low position, compared to the ambition of the leader of press freedom”.
In 2002, the year of the first publication of the RSF ranking, the United States was 17e place.
According to Julien Toureille, a researcher at the Observatory on the United States of the Raoul-Dandurand Chair, there is no doubt that Donald Trump’s coming to power for a worried second term. Even that since his coming to power in January, the president has been trying to reshape the media landscape in his image, handling the stick for journalists considered as enemies of the people
And the carrot for those who praise.
Mr. Toureille cites as an example the prohibition of access given to the press agency Associated Press At the Oval Office and the official plane of Donald Trump, Air Force Onefor an unlimited period, due to its refusal to call the Gulf of Mexico “Gulf of America”.
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An supporter of President Donald Trump brandished a sign associating false news with media such as CNN, CBC News and the New York Times. (Archives photo)
Photo : Reuters / Joshua Roberts
In addition, the cessation of funding from several editors by the Trump administration, of which NPR, PBS, Voice of America, Radio free Europe et Radio free Asiaillustrates this president’s aversion to traditional media.
However, according to Alexander quietlyjournalist and professor at the journalism school at Columbia University, professional journalists prioritize the facts and equality of views when they report a news, unlike influencers on social networks.
Republicans and president know that more informed people do not vote for Trump, so that’s why they are looking to kill the media everywhere
believes M. Stille.
Our job has never been so precarious and difficult, but also so important. Imagine a Trump administration without counter-power of the press.
For her part, Ms. Bocandé believes that Donald Trump wants “the reign of opinion”. He opposes freedom of the press with freedom of expression. In fact, one cannot work without the other
she underlines.
Experts, however, specify that press freedom in the United States has been deteriorating for ten years, well before Mr. Trump arrived at the White House.
World Press Freedom Day: American journalism in danger
ENGINE MAI FIRSTThe facts first
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The digital revolution has eroded the economic foundations of newspapers, magazines and even television channels
explains Mr. Stille. A hundred newspapers had to close, and those that remain must work with fewer journalists.
[Les médias] cannot change their business model based on advertising. So, we are witnessing the closure of several media, especially local. In several small communities, we no longer have access to reliable information
adds Mr. Toureille on the waves by RDI.
According to Ms. Bocandé, local journalism in the United States pays the high price of the economic recession. More than 60 % of journalists and media experts surveyed by RSF in Arizona, Florida, Nevada and Pennsylvania, agree that it is difficult to earn a living as a journalist
. 75 % believe that The economic viability of an average media is in difficulty
.
Worldwide, the media fail to achieve financial stability in 160 countries out of the 180 analyzed by RSF.
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With agency information France-Presse
