Czechia climbs to 10th place in global press freedom ranking

The Czech Republic has risen seven places to rank 10th in the latest World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). The organization warns, however, that while physical attacks on journalists are visible, economic pressure poses a deeper, growing threat. Media ownership concentration, advertiser influence, and unclear public funding remain concerns—even in top-ranked countries like Czechia. RSF praised Czech efforts to strengthen public media funding, unlike Slovakia, which dropped nine spots to 38th due to budget cuts and political interference. Globally, RSF reports press freedom is in a "difficult situation," with worsening conditions in regions like Palestine and Hong Kong.