The War On News

A record of government actions against journalism and fact-based reporting, 1900 to today

Search: funding and ownership pressure, stage: pressure

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

All filters: country, dates, head of government, sort
CountryEcuador, RSF 2026 rank: 125th of 180El Salvador, RSF 2026 rank: 143rd of 180Georgia, RSF 2026 rank: 135th of 180Hungary, RSF 2026 rank: 74th of 180Malaysia, RSF 2026 rank: 95th of 180Poland, RSF 2026 rank: 27th of 180Russia, RSF 2026 rank: 172nd of 180Slovakia, RSF 2026 rank: 37th of 180Tanzania, RSF 2026 rank: 117th of 180United States, RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180
ContinentAfricaAsiaEuropeNorth AmericaSouth America
TacticFunding and ownership pressure 19Official labels 4Licensing and closure of outlets 4Surveillance and subpoenas 2Lawsuits against the press 1Insult and defamation laws 1
StagePressure 19
OutcomeSustained 10Reversed 4Unknown 3Ongoing 2
LevelNational 19
Head of governmentBeata SzydloDonald TrumpIrakli KobakhidzeJohn MagufuliMahathir MohamadNayib BukeleRafael CorreaRichard NixonRobert FicoViktor OrbanVladimir Putin

19 incidents match this view.

TableCardsCSVJSONMarkdown
DateIncidentCountryTacticHead of governmentOutcome
4 August 2026Russia: law on asset freezes and service denials for exiled "foreign agents", August 2026Russia (RSF 2026 rank: 172nd of 180)Official labelsVladimir PutinSustained (4 August 2026)
28 April 2026Appeals court orders FCC to respond to challenge over 'news distortion' policyUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Funding and ownership pressureDonald TrumpOngoing (28 April 2026)
April 2026El Salvador: freeze on assets of shareholders in El Faro's parent company, February to April 2026El Salvador (RSF 2026 rank: 143rd of 180)Funding and ownership pressureNayib BukeleSustained (8 May 2026)
17 September 2025United States: Federal Communications Commission chairman's remarks and the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, September 2025United States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Funding and ownership pressureDonald TrumpReversed (23 September 2025)
24 July 2025FCC approves Paramount-Skydance merger after CBS ombudsman and anti-DEI pledgesUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Funding and ownership pressureDonald TrumpSustained (24 July 2025)
18 July 2025Congress cuts $1.1 billion in federal funding for public broadcastingUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Funding and ownership pressureDonald TrumpSustained (24 July 2025)
1 May 2025United States: Executive Order 14290 directing an end to federal funding for NPR and PBS, May 2025United States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Funding and ownership pressureDonald TrumpUnknown
22 April 202560 Minutes executive producer resigns, citing lost editorial independenceUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Funding and ownership pressureDonald TrumpSustained (22 April 2025)
22 January 2025FCC chair reopens 'news distortion' complaints against CBS and NBCUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Funding and ownership pressureDonald TrumpOngoing
20 June 2024Slovakia's parliament dissolves public broadcaster RTVS, replaces it with STVRSlovakia (RSF 2026 rank: 37th of 180)Licensing and closure of outletsRobert FicoSustained (1 July 2024)
28 May 2024Georgia enacts 'foreign influence' law requiring media to register as foreign-backedGeorgia (RSF 2026 rank: 135th of 180)Official labelsIrakli KobakhidzeSustained
20 December 2023Hungary: National Sovereignty Protection Act and Sovereignty Protection Office, December 2023Hungary (RSF 2026 rank: 74th of 180)Official labelsViktor OrbanReversed (30 June 2026)
24 July 2020Hungary: editor fired and staff resign at Index.huHungary (RSF 2026 rank: 74th of 180)Funding and ownership pressureViktor OrbanSustained (24 July 2020)
16 March 2018Tanzania requires bloggers and online publishers to register and pay an annual government feeTanzania (RSF 2026 rank: 117th of 180)Licensing and closure of outletsJohn MagufuliUnknown (12 April 2018)
31 December 2015Poland's new government gains power to replace public broadcaster leadership, and journalists are dismissedPoland (RSF 2026 rank: 27th of 180)Funding and ownership pressureBeata SzydloSustained (31 December 2019)
25 June 2013Ecuador's Organic Communication Law creates a regulator that issues hundreds of sanctions against journalists and outletsEcuador (RSF 2026 rank: 125th of 180)Funding and ownership pressureRafael CorreaReversed (20 February 2019)
21 December 2010Hungary's parliament gives a government-appointed media council power to fine outlets for unbalanced coverageHungary (RSF 2026 rank: 74th of 180)Funding and ownership pressureViktor OrbanSustained (1 January 2011)
20 September 1998Malaysia pressures domestic media and monitors foreign correspondents after arresting former deputy premier Anwar IbrahimMalaysia (RSF 2026 rank: 95th of 180)Surveillance and subpoenasMahathir MohamadUnknown
16 August 1971Nixon White House compiles an enemies list naming journalists for official pressureUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Surveillance and subpoenasRichard NixonReversed (27 June 1973)
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