Mihaela Ciobanu
Globally, independent public media institutions are increasingly hard to find, while captured media is on the rise, and the United States—long seen as a bastion of editorial independence—is no longer immune to the global trend of political interference and state control. Europe continues to be the global leader in terms of editorial independence of public media. The findings come from a study by the Media and Journalism Research Center (MJRC), published on October 1, 2025. The report analyzes the editorial independence, funding sources, and governance of 606 media institutions in 170 countries.
According to the research, of the 606 public media institutions analyzed, 512 (85%) are captured or controlled, compared to 505 out of 601 (84%) in 2024, figures that “highlight a continuing downward trajectory since monitoring began in 2021.”
The data shows that the number of media institutions with real editorial independence has fallen from 96 in 2024 to 94 in 2025. At the same time, the category of captured private media has grown from 48 to 53, “showing how governments are increasingly relying on economic levers to influence private ownership structures to their advantage.” State-controlled or state-managed public media also saw a slight increase, from 64 institutions in 2024 to 67 in 2025, the study indicates.
MAJOR CHANGES IN THE US MEDIA LANDSCAPE
With regard to the media ecosystem in the US, the authors of the report note that it has undergone “the most dramatic change (…), a country traditionally perceived as a safer haven for editorially independent media.” According to the analysis, in early 2025, the US Agency for Global Media—which coordinates Voice of America, Radio Free Asia, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the Cuba Broadcasting Office, and the Middle East Broadcasting Network—was placed directly under the control of the Trump administration. At the same time, the study highlights that funding cuts and management changes have paralysed most broadcasters, leaving only Voice of America operating with a third of its staff. Meanwhile, the suspension of the budget for American public television has led to the shutdown of operations and the suspension of employees on indefinite leave.
“This change illustrates how quickly the independence of public media can collapse even in established democracies,” the experts note.
EUROPE, THE REGION WITH THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF EDITORIAL INDEPENDENCE
The report draws attention to the fact that “Europe continues to be the global leader in terms of editorial independence of public media, but the gradual downward trend persisted in 2025.” According to the figures, 54 (46%) of 116 media outlets maintain their editorial freedom. “This represents a marginal decrease from 2024, when 56 out of 119 media outlets (47%) were assessed as independent, but continues the downward trajectory from 49% in 2023 and 50% in 2022,” the study says.
The MJRC indicates that in 2025, several European public media outlets were downgraded to state-controlled, including Radio and Television of Montenegro, as well as regional broadcasters in Valencia and the Balearic Islands. According to the same study, the situation in Spain has worsened: of the 15 regional stations mapped, eight are now considered state-controlled, compared to only one in 2022. The report notes that Czech Television has been the target of political attacks but has not been downgraded, while in Poland, public television and public radio have been upgraded following the change of government.
“The decisive tests for 2026 will be whether governments ensure independent governance and predictable, isolated funding, in accordance with the provisions of the European Media Freedom Act, to help public media fulfill their mission of serving the public, not the ruling party,” summarize the authors of the overview of the press in Europe.
EURASIA: MEDIA UNDER STATE DOMINATION
According to the document, the Eurasian region continues to face major challenges for the press under government influence. The report notes that “the media landscape in Eurasia continues to tighten under strong state influence, with the share of government-dominated media channels increasing by one percentage point to 98% of the 69 channels surveyed in 2025, despite the addition of five new channels. This trend underscores the persistence of an autocratic environment and the erosion of progressive media.”
Although the proportion of organizations directly controlled by the government has declined slightly, from 83% to 79%, the MJRC report notes that the number of captured private and public institutions—i.e., those under indirect government influence—has reached a record high of 13. This is an increase of five percentage points, which has offset the decline in the segment of media directly controlled by the state.
The authors also note changes in the distribution of regional influence: “Media institutions across most of Eurasia have traditionally been within Moscow’s sphere of influence. However, since the start of Russia’s war in Ukraine, the picture has become more fragmented. In Belarus, for example, the media remains fully synchronized with Russian propaganda, while countries such as Moldova, Georgia, and Ukraine have stepped up their anti-Russian strategies by introducing bans or restrictions on Russian television channels and news content.”