Brussels (CHATNEWSTV) — Marking World Press Freedom Day, the European Union issued a stark warning Friday about the deteriorating state of global media, citing funding cuts, political repression, and increasing violence against journalists as factors driving the sector into a “deep crisis.”
“The struggles of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty this year, as well as the pressure on many other media outlets around the world, underline the immense risks that free and independent media face in 2025,” the EU’s High Representative said in a statement released on behalf of the 27-member bloc.
The EU decried the escalating threats facing journalists and media professionals worldwide, from “online and offline intimidation and attacks” to “arbitrary detention, legal persecution and transnational repression.”
“These attacks are aimed at silencing their work,” the statement warned, adding that emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, could “intensify these risks by enabling pervasive surveillance and targeted harassment.”
The bloc threw its weight behind the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for its efforts to protect journalists globally, especially women who face “heightened, gender-specific risks.” The EU praised UNESCO’s data-driven approach to tracking violence against journalists and informing global policy responses.
On the policy front, the EU welcomed the OECD Development Co-operation Principles for Relevant and Effective Support to Media, calling them a “common roadmap to strengthen media ecosystems worldwide.”
“These principles must inspire concrete, transformative action to restore and expand support for independent journalism,” the EU said.
The European Union reaffirmed its “resolute commitment” to defending free and independent journalism, emphasizing its central role in maintaining democracy.
“Without press freedom, our right to information, freedom to think critically, and ability to hold people in power to account are compromised,” the statement read. “A thriving, independent and pluralistic media sector is essential for the resilience and survival of democracy. We must act now to secure its future.”
The statement was made available in multiple languages including Russian, Arabic, and Chinese—an indication of the EU’s global audience for the message.
