State Media Monitor
Global Study
Each year, the Media and Journalism Research Center (MJRC) updates its global database of state and public media and uses this data to produce new comparative analyses. The dataset forms the basis of an annual overview of key trends. Explore the studies below.
Latest edition · November 2026
Independent
by Exception
Global Findings of the State Media Monitor 2026
Marius Dragomir
The 2026 edition maps 588 active state and public media entries in 168 jurisdictions. Of these, 493, or 83.8 per cent, are controlled or captured by governments, ruling parties or interests tied to the state. The remaining 95 keep their editorial independence.
- 588entries
- 168jurisdictions
- 83.8%not independent
- 95independent entries
Previous editions
Headline figures are given as reported in each edition. The 2026 study recalculates every cycle from 2022 on the consolidated database 2022–2026, so its historical figures can differ slightly.
2025
October 2025
Independence Under Siege: The State Media Monitor 2025 Global Study
- 606 entries
- 85% not independent
2024
October 2024
Key Findings of State Media Monitor 2024
- 601 entries
- 170 countries
- over 84% not independent
In 2024, instead of a full publication, we released only a brief overview of the global findings.
2023
October 2023
From Puppet to Powerhouse: A Global Study of the Independence of State and Public Media
- 592 entries
- 157 countries
- some 83% not independent
2022
September 2022
The State of State Media. A Global Analysis of the Editorial Independence of State Media Based on the State Media Matrix (2022 edition)
- 595 entries
- 157 countries
- some 84% not independent
2021
September 2021
The State of State Media: A Global Analysis of the Editorial Independence of State Media and an Introduction of a New State Media Typology
- 546 entries
- 151 countries
- nearly 80% not independent
The edition that introduced the State Media Matrix.