Global Findings of State Media Monitor 2025 Published

The Media and Journalism Research Center (MJRC) has published the 2025 edition of its flagship State Media Monitor, a global study that tracks the editorial independence, funding and governance of state and public media worldwide.

This year’s report shows a further decline in media independence, underscoring a continuing erosion that has persisted since monitoring began in 2021. Out of the 606 outlets surveyed across 170 countries, 512 (85%) are classified as captured or controlled by governments or political interests. By contrast, only 19 outlets (3%) worldwide meet the criteria for Independent Public Media, the type of media with the highest level of independence, with the majority located in Europe.

The State-Controlled (SC) model remains the most widespread form of governance, accounting for 392 outlets in 2025. Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and North Africa, and Eurasia continue to be regions where state capture is entrenched. Meanwhile, even in countries traditionally seen as strongholds of democratic institutions, public media are facing mounting threats — from defunding and political interference to institutional restructuring. The United States stands out as the most striking example this year.

The findings highlight troubling signs. New laws and political pressures in parts of Eastern Europe, Asia, and Africa are further undermining public broadcasters. Digital and online media are increasingly being drawn into regulatory regimes designed to tighten state influence.

At the same time, the number of outlets achieving true independence has stagnated. While Europe still leads in terms of safeguards and pluralism, the continent has not been immune to political capture, funding crises, and creeping government influence.

“The downward trend we have tracked for the past five years is a serious warning,” said Marius Dragomir, Director of MJRC and founder of the State Media Monitor project. “Public media across the globe are under siege. Without reforms, independence will vanish — and a government-controlled media order will become the global norm.”

The 2025 Global Study builds on MJRC’s continuously updated database of state and public media institutions, offering policymakers, researchers, and journalists vital insights into how state influence over media is evolving worldwide.

Read the full study on our project website. Click here for the full study, and here for key findings, conclusions and main charts.

Photo by Robin Jonathan Deutsch on Unsplash