World Press Freedom Day 2025: Celebrating Courage, Demanding Change

World Press Freedom Day 2025: Celebrating Courage, Demanding Change

The Executive Director of the Society of Editors has called on governments worldwide to protect and promote press freedom and prioritise journalists safety.
Writing today on World Press Freedom Day 2025 (Saturday 3 May), Dawn Alford said that, as well as a time for reflection, World Press Freedom Day was also a time to be proud of, and celebrate, the extraordinary journalism that was produced in the UK and the resilience, talent and tenacity of reporters, editors, photographers and producers across the industry.

World Press Freedom Index 2025
The global state of press freedom is now classified as a “difficult situation” for the first time in the history of Reporters Without Borders’ World Press Freedom Index. The Index, released this week to coincide with World Press Freedom Day, found that although physical attacks against journalists are the most visible violations of press freedom, economic pressure was now a more insidious problem.

Media Lawyers Conference
The Media Law Resource Centre’s Media Lawyers Conference will take place next month in Belfast on 23 June 2025. Bringing together media lawyers from the UK, Ireland, Europe and the United States to discuss comparative media law and strategies to defend freedom of expression, tickets are still available.

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Media Freedom Awards 2025 – Save the DateThe Media Freedom Awards 2025 will take place on Wednesday 12 November 2025 at the Underglobe in London. The awards, which celebrate public interest and campaigning journalism, will open for entry next month on Monday 9 June with a full list of categories and criteria published in the coming days.