The War On News

How governments have limited journalists, 1900 to today.

Search: licensing and closure of outlets, stage: silence, national level

The number of entries reflects the depth of this record, not the severity of a country's conduct.

19 incidents match this view.

DateIncidentCountryTacticHead of governmentOutcome
March 4, 2024Milei's government shuts down Argentina's state news agency TelamArgentina (RSF 2026 rank: 98th of 180)Funding and ownership pressureJavier MileiSustained
February 13, 2023Cambodia: Prime Minister Hun Sen orders Voice of Democracy's license revoked over one articleCambodia (RSF 2026 rank: 151st of 180)Licensing and closure of outletsHun SenSustained (February 13, 2023)
September 5, 2022Russia: a Moscow court suspends Novaya Gazeta's print licenseRussia (RSF 2026 rank: 172nd of 180)Licensing and closure of outletsVladimir PutinSustained (September 5, 2022)
June 24, 2021China (Hong Kong): Apple Daily closes after its assets are frozen under the national security lawHong Kong (RSF 2026 rank: 140th of 180)Licensing and closure of outletsCarrie LamSustained (June 24, 2021)
March 8, 2021Myanmar junta revokes five outlets' licenses and raids newsrooms after coupMyanmar (RSF 2026 rank: 166th of 180)Licensing and closure of outletsMin Aung HlaingSustained
February 14, 2021Hungary: Klubradio loses its terrestrial broadcast license over its tender applicationHungary (RSF 2026 rank: 74th of 180)Licensing and closure of outletsViktor OrbanUpheld by a court (September 1, 2021)
September 4, 2017Cambodia's government forces the closure of The Cambodia Daily with a disputed multimillion-dollar tax billCambodia (RSF 2026 rank: 151st of 180)Licensing and closure of outletsHun SenSustained (September 4, 2017)
July 27, 2016Turkey closes more than 100 media outlets by decree after a failed coup attemptTürkiye (RSF 2026 rank: 163rd of 180)Licensing and closure of outletsRecep Tayyip ErdoğanSustained (December 31, 2016)
May 27, 2007Venezuela: the government declines to renew RCTV's broadcast concessionVenezuela (RSF 2026 rank: 159th of 180)Licensing and closure of outletsHugo ChavezSustained (September 8, 2015)
September 12, 2003Zimbabwe: police close the Daily News under the media registration lawZimbabwe (RSF 2026 rank: 124th of 180)Licensing and closure of outletsRobert MugabeReversed (May 27, 2010)
April 14, 2001State-controlled Gazprom takes formal control of Russia's independent NTV television networkRussia (RSF 2026 rank: 172nd of 180)Funding and ownership pressureVladimir PutinSustained (April 14, 2001)
October 1988United Kingdom bars broadcasters from airing Sinn Féin members' own voicesUnited Kingdom (RSF 2026 rank: 18th of 180)Licensing and closure of outletsMargaret ThatcherReversed (September 16, 1994)
July 31, 1980South Korea's martial-law government purges journalists who resisted press controlsSouth Korea (RSF 2026 rank: 47th of 180)Licensing and closure of outletsChun Doo-hwanReversed (June 1, 1987)
June 26, 1975India imposes pre-press controls on every newspaper during the 1975 EmergencyIndia (RSF 2026 rank: 157th of 180)Prior restraintIndira GandhiReversed (March 21, 1977)
May 24, 1960Egypt's Nasser government nationalizes every newspaper and magazine in the countryEgypt (RSF 2026 rank: 169th of 180)Funding and ownership pressureGamal Abdel NasserOngoing (January 1, 1989)
July 17, 1950South Africa's Suppression of Communism Act lets the government ban publications and restrict individualsSouth Africa (RSF 2026 rank: 21st of 180)Prior restraintDaniel François MalanReversed (February 2, 1990)
1939Brazil's Vargas government creates a state messaging department with broad press powersBrazil (RSF 2026 rank: 52nd of 180)Licensing and closure of outletsGetúlio VargasReversed (January 1, 1945)
October 4, 1933Nazi Germany's Editors Law bars Jewish journalists from the press and puts editors under state directionGermany (RSF 2026 rank: 14th of 180)Credential controlAdolf HitlerReversed (May 8, 1945)
1922Soviet Russia creates Glavlit, a central office to review all printed material before publicationRussia (RSF 2026 rank: 172nd of 180)Prior restraintVladimir LeninOngoing (January 1, 1989)
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