Slovakia again fell in the Liberty Library of Press

BRATISLAVA. Today’s media has trapped in an effort to preserve independence. They are threatened by an unprecedented threat in the form of economic survival.

This stems from the World Press Freedom Index, which is covered by the non -profit organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

And although the attack on journalists is definitely the most visible indicator of violations of media freedoms, the news in 2025 threatens mainly economic instability.

In the case of Slovakia, according to Pavel Szalai, the Head of the RSF department for the European Union and the Balkans, the problem is manifested in two ways.

“First of all, the goal of the government is Robert Fico Drive the public medium into the corner while appealing to reduce its financing. At the same time, the process continues with the government’s efforts for its political control, ”explains the SME daily with reference to Slovak Television and Radio (stations).

« Secondly, private media are the victim because they are largely owned by the Penta financial group, which is not interested in flourishing independent journalism in Slovakia. »

For economic indicators, the global media, according to RSF, is the first time in the « difficult situation ». For the first time in the history of the annual RSF report, the conditions for the performance of journalism are bad in the middle of the worlds and satisfactory in less than one of the four countries.

« Unfortunately, the media is increasingly being found in a position in which they have to choose between independence and survival, » says Szalai.

Slovakia has placed the lowest in the last 15 years in the RSF ranking. This is the second big fall, and in 2024 it fell by 12 rungs, but now it has been further fell by another nine rungs to 38th place.

Drawn into the race

Economic pressure is a significant but often underestimated factor that weakens the media around the world, with the freedom of the press experiencing a « disturbing » decline on all continents.

The problem is especially the concentration of media ownership, but also the pressure that comes from advertisers and donors. However, state aid also hurts the freedom of the press, as it is either limited or non -transparent. However, it is often absent.

According to the editorial director of RSF Anna Bocandéová, the guaranteeing of freedom of the press requires stable but also transparent financial conditions.

« Without economic independence, there can be no free press. When the media are financially burdened, they are drawn into the race to attract an audience at the expense of quality news and can be the victim of oligarchs and public authorities trying to abuse them, » explains Bocandé.

« When journalists are poor, they no longer have the means to resist the enemies of the press – (actors) who promote misinformation and propaganda. »

The editorial director considers that the media economy needs to be quickly entered into a state that is favorable for journalism and ensures the production of reliable information.

« This is inherently expensive, » says Bocandévoá, saying that media financial independence is a prerequisite for providing credible information that serves the public interest. “The solutions exist.”

Szalai recalls that, for example, the European Act on Freedom of Press, which entered into force on 7 May 2024, will help media in Europe. However, the new rules will be fully applied until 8 August 2025.

« Fico’s government seemed to have concluded that the attack on journalists is not sufficient and therefore went to the legal arsenal, but it seems that the obstacle in the war against journalists led by Fico can be the Slovak judiciary and European law, » says Szalai.

However, the head of the RSF for the EU and the Balkans also highlights the so -called crowfunding, which helps the media. Thanks to public contributions in Slovakia, for example, the 360tka news portal was created.

However, according to the World Freedom Data for 2025, the media in 160 countries from 180 countries rated financial stability is either difficult or not at all.

They can shake hands with dictators

In particular, dictators are beneficial from the limitation of free printing, but Szalai points out that the decay of journalism plays into carats and digital platforms that have taken over all advertising to the media and printed professionally processed articles from the Internet space. At the same time, social networks support the spread of hate contributions and popularize misleading content.

These are mainly giants like Google, Apple, FacebookAmazon or Microsoft, who are largely unregulated and absorb the growing proportion of ad income that would usually support journalism.

Related article

Related article Slovakia was also a laboratory for Deepfake. In the Freedom of Press ranking dropped by 12 rungs Read

In 2024, advertising expenditure was $ 247 billion through social media, representing a 14 % increase compared to 2023.

At the same time, Szalai recalls the action of a technology tycoon Elona Muskathat owns the social network X, while constantly attacking the media. « Basically, digital platforms can shake hands with dictators, » says Szalai.

Weakening at the worldwide level

However, the intervention of politicians in the functioning of various media is far from being only worried about Slovakia.

Intelligence in Russiawhich fell by nine rungs to 171.

Hungary, which is in the 68th place, is plagued by the government Viktor Orbánwhich oppresses the critical media by an uneven distribution of state advertising. And in Georgia, which fell by 11th place to 114th place, politicians are using the law on « foreign influence » on the suppression of independent journalism.

However, the situation is also worse in countries such as Australia (29th place), Canada (21 -place) and Czech Republic (10th place), where the concentration of specific actors around the media also causes concern. For example, in France, which fell by four ranks to 25, a significant share of the media is controlled by several rich owners.

Respondents from 92 states for RSF said the owners « always » or « often » limit the editorial independence of their media. According to respondents, the survival conditioned by funding from the actors of close political or business world is owed Lebanon (132. Bulgaria (70th place).

However, in addition to contradictory funding, Szalai also draws attention to the suspension of USAID, which is behind the administration US President Donald Trump. The impact is felt, for example, the historic Radio Free Europe, which has so far operated thanks to the US budget.

« We can simply talk about trying to weaken journalism worldwide, » says Szalai, adding that the US has fallen by two rungs to 58th place.

According to the annual RSF report, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, where dictatorial regimes are strong. For example, Belarus (166th place) or Azerbaijan (167th place).

“However, the situation worsened significantly in Palestine and Israeliwhere the Israeli government has committed from the attack of Palestinian militants from a terrorist group Hamas war crimes, ”adds Szalai, adding that nearly 200 journalists died in the area.

Israel dropped 112 to 112, as it also attacks the Israeli media. Palestine is 163. The place.