The value of free media for security, stability and growth
The facts speak for themselves – and for journalism, as well. A new evidence report titled "The Value of Journalism" shows that societies benefit from free media in numerous ways. It was commissioned by DW Akademie, the International Fund for Public Interest Media (IFPIM) and UNESCO as members of the Research Working Group of the Media Viability Manifesto Initiative.
Media freedom supports economic growth. A study of 97 countries has shown a 1-2 percent reduction in real GDP growth associated with declining press freedom.
Investigative journalism delivers strong returns. Every $1 spent on journalism can result in more than $100 in savings to the public through reclaimed funds, improved public services and reduced corruption.
While governments routinely invest billions in military, cyber and border security, information insecurity is increasingly one of the most significant threats to democratic stability. Disinformation costs societies an estimated $350–500 billion each year. Independent journalism is one of the most effective and evidence-based defenses against it.
Media freedom also dramatically reduces the likelihood of conflict, repression and human rights violations. A study of 152 countries associated greater access to free media with a reduction in human rights abuses.
Furthermore, news coverage has been shown to dramatically increase the size and speed of international humanitarian response and save lives. A study of more than 2,300 disasters showed that a single news story in the New York Times generated an additional half a million US dollars in official aid.
New meta-study on the value of free media
The new meta-study, authored by Mel Bunce and Beth Pearson from City St George’s, University of London, comes at a time when the situation for independent media is more precarious than ever before:
The recently published 2026 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) shows that only 1 percent of the world’s population now lives in countries where press freedom is rated as "good." For the first time in the index’s 25-year history, more than half of all countries fall into the two lowest categories "difficult" and "very serious."
At the same time, public media funding is declining, and drastic cuts to international aid and media development budgets have reduced the amount of reliable and independent journalism available to audiences worldwide.
The "Value of Journalism" report explains why these cuts and attacks matter. It was presented on June 23, 2026, on the occasion of the Global Media Forum in Bonn, Germany.
