World Press Freedom Day 2025: Journalism at Risk, Democracy at Stake

As we mark World Press Freedom Day 2025, the promise of journalism as a public good is under siege. This year, we are not just celebrating press freedom—we are fighting to preserve it. A global funding crisis, with over $17 billion in planned cuts to the Official Development Assistance (ODA), has already gutted vital support for independent journalism. Outlets have lost staff, slashed coverage, or shuttered entirely. In the vacuum, disinformation networks thrive, eroding trust and destabilising democracies.

Meanwhile, local policy groups—particularly in the Global South—continue to be sidelined from decision-making spaces, despite their contextual insight and grassroots legitimacy. Their exclusion weakens media reform efforts and perpetuates global inequities in information access and integrity.

If we are serious about defending journalism as a cornerstone of public life, we must fundamentally reimagine how we fund, support, and elevate independent media—especially those on the frontlines. That starts with listening to local voices, investing in sustainable, core funding models, and holding power to account not only with reporting but with policy.

Looking ahead, 2025 presents pivotal moments for global media advocacy:

• The Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4) offers a rare opportunity to reshape the international financial architecture—including critical support for public interest media. We must ensure that journalism is explicitly recognised in the FFD4 outcome document for its role in promoting transparency, accountability, and citizen engagement. In the meantime, some regions are starting to prepare their long-term budgets, like the European Union. This presents an excellent opportunity to use the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), including the Democracy Shield, to safeguard journalism and ensure its long-term viability.
• We approach the WSIS+20 Review at a time when digital governance hangs in the balance. As the Global Digital Compact takes shape, it is essential that civil society, media, and non-governmental actors remain central to shaping an open, rights-based digital future—not sidelined by state-led models. 

Below, you’ll find some of the key events we’re organising and participating in this World Press Freedom Day. We warmly invite you to join us. But more importantly, we urge you to engage with our broader media policy and advocacy efforts—starting with the Master Resource Document “Advocacy for Funding”. This living document brings together key messages, data, and resources to strengthen and coordinate our collective advocacy. Whether you’re drafting a toolkit, meeting with donors, or mobilising support, this is your go-to reference. Feel free to contribute, adapt, and use it widely.

We also invite you to take part in our Policy meetings where we’ll work together to shape strategies for meaningful media reform. Together, we can push for the systemic reforms journalism needs to survive—and thrive.

TOOLS TO FIGHT FOR JOURNALISM 

Fighting for journalism as a public good means equipping ourselves—and each other—with the right tools, messages, and data. Below are key resources and advocacy tools developed through the GFMD network to support your work, especially in light of growing funding gaps and shrinking civic space.

Position Paper: “Democracy at Risk: Why the EU Must Prioritise Media Freedom in the Next MFF”

This working document argues for prioritising media freedom in the EU’s next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). This paper will be submitted to the European Commission and may also form the basis of a public statement ahead of the next MFF negotiations. We’re inviting your feedback! Use “suggesting mode” to add data, insights, or edits.

🔗 REVIEW THE DRAFT POSITION PAPER

 Master Resource Document – “Advocacy for Funding: Key Messages, Data and Resources”

This living document is your go-to reference for building evidence-based, coordinated advocacy. It includes:

• Adaptable messages and talking points
• Key data and case studies
• Links to research and arguments for funders
• A collaborative space for contributors from across our network

How to Use It:

• Use “suggesting mode” to contribute directly
• Extract key messages for policy briefs or stakeholder engagement
• Share widely within your networks to align on advocacy priorities

🔗 ACCESS THE MASTER DOCUMENT

 Advocacy Toolkit: The 4th Financing for Development Conference (FFD4)

In the lead-up to The Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, we’ve developed a toolkit to help you advocate for the inclusion of journalism and media freedom in development financing reform. It includes:

• Messaging support for donor dialogues
• Guidance for engaging with FFD4 preparatory processes
• Tips for reviewing and commenting on outcome documents

🔗 ACCESS THE TOOLKIT

Key Takeaways from Our April 7 Policy Meeting

This policy meeting titled “When journalism dies, so does democracy: Advocating for funding to support independent media and journalism” aimed to bring together media development and journalism support organisations to discuss how our community can work together to advocate for immediate, medium, and long-term funding and resources to strengthen media freedom and pluralism, journalist safety, and media development.

🔗 READ KEY RECOMMENDATIONS

RELEVANT RESOURCES:

• State of media development vis à vis the OECD principles (April 2025): A new report by DW Akademie’s think tank DW Freedom takes a thorough look at the media development sector, a crucial part of international cooperation. It offers recommendations for its organizations and their funders.
• From funding crisis to opportunity: ideas and solutions in a post-USAID landscape (April 2025): This panel at the International Journalism Festival was not just a diagnosis of journalism’s funding crisis but also a rallying call to rethink the infrastructure of public interest journalism—from collaboration and advocacy to audience engagement and tech equity. Watch the full panel discussion.
• How the US retreat from the UN endangers the future of internet governance (April 2025): This Atlantic Council article warns that the U.S. withdrawal from active engagement in United Nations internet governance discussions risks ceding influence to authoritarian regimes like China and Russia, which advocate for state-controlled internet models.
• How can we stop democratic backsliding? Defend the free press (April 2025): In every corner of the world democracy is on the wane, autocracy is rising, and the media is under attack. Today, three-quarters of the world’s population live in countries that are not democracies, the highest level in half a century. And the numbers are rising, writes Joel Simon.