The 2025 RSF World Press Freedom Index shows declining press freedom in Asia-Pacific, citing increased economic pressure and state control impacting media independence across the region.

Press freedom across the Asia-Pacific region faces a severe decline, increasingly stifled by authoritarian regimes wielding economic pressure and direct media control, according to the 2025 World Press Freedom Index report by Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

The report highlights a concerning trend where governments exert tight control over media ownership, directly interfering with editorial independence. This economic manipulation is widespread, with twenty of the region’s 32 countries and territories experiencing a drop in their economic indicators for press freedom in the latest index.

Authoritarian Grip Tightens

Several nations in the region exemplify extreme media control. In North Korea (ranked 179th), media outlets function solely as state propaganda tools. Similarly, China (178th) and Vietnam (173rd) maintain dominance through state-owned outlets or those linked to the ruling Communist parties. Independent journalism in these nations is driven underground, carried out by freelancers facing constant threats and financial instability. Foreign media also risk being blacklisted arbitrarily.

Crackdowns Inspired by Control Models

The suppression tactics seen in China are increasingly mirrored elsewhere. Following the military coup, Myanmar (169th) witnessed the dismantling of many independent media outlets, forcing survivors to operate covertly or in exile with precarious funding. Comparable crackdowns in Cambodia (161st) and Hong Kong (140th) have led to newsroom closures and journalists fleeing, while pro-government outlets capture the bulk of media funding. In Afghanistan (175th), Taliban directives resulted in the closure of at least 12 media outlets in 2024 alone.

Media Concentration and Political Collusion

Media plurality is further threatened by ownership concentration in the hands of politically connected magnates. Countries like India (151st), Indonesia (127th), and Malaysia (88th) see a few conglomerates controlling the majority of media groups. In Thailand (85th), major outlets maintain close ties to military or royal elites, influencing content, while in Mongolia (102nd), business figures close to power use media ownership to advance political and economic agendas. Pakistan (158th) sees authorities leveraging government advertising contracts to pressure independent outlets.

Democracies Not Immune

Even established democracies are experiencing economic strain on independent media. In Taiwan (24th), the public broadcaster TaiwanPlus faced government pressure and significant funding cuts by an opposition-controlled Parliament. Australia (29th) suffers from high media market concentration, limiting diverse voices, while independent outlets struggle for financial sustainability.

The 2025 RSF report paints a grim picture for journalism in the Asia-Pacific, underscoring how economic levers are increasingly used alongside overt repression to control information and silence critical voices across the region.