Media Freedom in Italy Under Pressure: Media Freedom Report 2026 Released

Media freedom in Italy under pressure: opacity, political interference and journalists at Risk

The publication of the Media Freedom Report 2026, produced by the Civil Liberties Union for Europe (Liberties), once again raises serious concerns about the state of media freedom in Italy.

Compiled with contributions from 43 organisations across 21 EU Member States, the report examines the main threats to media freedom throughout the European Union, highlighting the close link between the erosion of media pluralism and the weakening of the rule of law.

The Italian chapter of the report, coordinated by the Italian Coalition for Civil Liberties and Rights (CILD), identifies several persistent structural challenges affecting media freedom in Italy.

Lack of transparency in media ownership

• Italy remains one of the EU countries where media ownership is insufficiently transparent. 
• According to the report, existing transparency requirements do not adequately reveal the ultimate beneficial owners of media outlets, making it difficult to identify who ultimately controls the country’s information landscape.

State advertising used as political leverage

• The report also identifies Italy as one of the Member States where the allocation of state advertising raises significant concerns. 
• Although the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) establishes rules intended to ensure fairness and transparency, public advertising funds can still be used in practice to influence media outlets, undermining editorial independence.

Political interference in Public Service Media (PSM)

• Systemic political interference continues to affect Italy’s PSM. Combined with budget cuts and structural reforms, these pressures threaten the ability of public broadcasters to fulfil their role as providers of independent and impartial information.

Journalists’ safety under threat

Italy remains one of the most concerning cases in Europe regarding journalists’ safety:

• explosive attacks targeting journalists, including investigative reporter Sigfrido Ranucci of Report;
• approximately 20 journalists currently living under permanent police protection;
• the use of spyware against journalists and reporters.

Commenting on the report’s findings, Andrea Oleandri, Co-Executive Director of CILD, said:

“Media freedom in Italy continues to face significant challenges. The lack of transparency in media ownership, the misuse of public resources, and persistent political interference in public service broadcasting undermine both media pluralism and editorial independence. Recent developments, including the announced closure of WIRED Italia and acquisition operations involving La Repubblica by foreign private investors, further expose the fragility and increasing concentration of Italy’s media market. In an already vulnerable environment, these developments further weaken the role of independent media.”

“The deterioration of journalists’ safety is particularly alarming.” – added Laura Liberto, President of CILD – “ Physical attacks, smear campaigns, surveillance practices, and the growing number of journalists forced to live under police protection create a picture of a profession that is becoming increasingly dangerous to practise. Concrete action is needed to strengthen protections for journalists, safeguard media independence, and ensure the full and timely implementation of European legislation, starting with the European Media Freedom Act.”

More broadly, media freedom and pluralism deteriorated further across both Italy and the European Union during 2025. Increasing concentration of media ownership, insufficient transparency regarding ownership structures, and the political use of state advertising continue to weaken the independence and diversity of Europe’s media landscape. At the same time, growing political interference is steadily eroding the independence of public service media and media regulatory authorities.

Journalists’ safety has also reached a critical point in several Member States, with increasing incidents of violence, abusive lawsuits, smear campaigns, and surveillance. Public trust in the media remains highly uneven across Europe, with significant differences between countries and social groups. Meanwhile, disinformation and online hate speech continue to rise, contributing to a record number of attacks against journalists.

Although the European Union has introduced important new legislation – including the European Media Freedom Act and the Anti-SLAPP Directive – implementation remains slow and, in many cases, largely symbolic. Governments continue to disregard recommendations issued by the European Commission, raising concerns about the EU’s ability to effectively safeguard media freedom and pluralism.

Eva Simon, Senior Advocacy Officer at the Civil Liberties Union for Europe (Liberties), said:

“The quality of democracy and respect for the rule of law are intrinsically linked to media freedom. When the rule of law is weakened – whether through political choice or inaction – media freedom suffers immediately. A healthy and pluralistic media ecosystem is both a litmus test for democracy and a reflection of it. This is why the European Media Freedom Act must not only be transposed into national legislation but also implemented swiftly and effectively across all Member States.”

The full report is available here: liberties.eu/f/fzija7

Who Liberties is

The Civil Liberties Union for Europe (Liberties) is a Berlin-based organization bringing together 24 associations across the EU. It works on civil and digital rights, including the rule of law, media freedom, civic space, SLAPPs, privacy, political advertising, electoral integrity, artificial intelligence, and mass surveillance.

Who CILD is

Founded in 2014, the Italian Coalition for Civil Liberties and Rights (CILD) is a permanent collaborative initiative among civil society organizations working to defend and promote fundamental rights, combining communication campaigns, legal action, training, and organizational support activities.

The annual reports for 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 are also available.