Estonia rises to second place globally in press freedom index

Estonia rises to second place globally in press freedom index. Photo: Tairo Lutter

Estonia has climbed to second place in the global press freedom index published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), up from sixth place last year.

Although Estonian journalists face both physical and online threats that contribute to self-censorship, they operate in a protective legal and political environment, RSF wrote in its 2025 report.

RSF noted that as a result of media consolidation over the past decade, Estonia's media landscape is now dominated by two major media groups -- Postimees Grupp and Ekspress Grupp -- alongside public broadcaster ERR, local outlets, and several independent online publications.

Russian-language media, including a public TV channel, public and private radio stations, and independent websites, serve the Russian-speaking minority, which makes up 25 percent of the population, RSF added.

The political environment has been characterized by neutrality toward the press and few verbal attacks, helping journalists hold politicians accountable without fear of persecution.

While press freedom is guaranteed by the Estonian Constitution, media freedom is limited by laws protecting against defamation and the publication of personal data.

On the economic side, the report noted that media ownership in Estonia is so concentrated it can be considered an oligopoly -- a market dominated by a few sellers.

«The owners of the two large media groups also hold stakes in other business sectors. Estonia's private media operate in a small market with limited access to funding, which hampers efforts to seek out new revenue streams, such as hosting events. The public broadcaster's budget is increasingly limited and may be subject to political influence,» the report stated.

It also noted that physical attacks on journalists are extremely rare, and perpetrators of crimes or threats against journalists are prosecuted.

According to the index, the country with the freest press is Norway -- a position it has held since 2017. Estonia is followed by the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Ireland. Lithuania ranks 14th and Latvia 15th. The United States holds 57th place, Ukraine 62nd, and Russia 171st.

The three countries with the least media freedom are China, North Korea, and Eritrea.