Media freedom in the world has fallen to a minimum

In recent years, the situation with press freedom has worsened. The biggest threat to journalism today is manipulative national security laws and the growing influence of oligarchic groups on large private media. Slovakia ranked 37th this year, moving up one position. Analysts note the country's strong legal framework and tradition of investigative journalism, which helps the media market stay afloat. Slovakia is behind the Czech Republic (11th place), Austria (19th), and Poland (27th), but ahead of Ukraine (55th) and Hungary (74th). Norway remains the global leader, while the worst situations are in Eritrea, North Korea, and China.