US falls below Ukraine in press freedom as global autocracy takes hold

Reporters Without Borders released its 2026 World Press Freedom Index, with Norway ranked first again.

Several Nordic countries remain in the top 10, underscoring the region’s strong media freedom.

But average press freedom across the 180-country survey fell to its lowest level on record.

More than half of countries are now in restrictive categories, and major democracies continue to slide.

The U.S. ranked below Ukraine, highlighting the broader global decline in journalism freedom.