Nieman Lab.
Predictions for
Journalism, 2025.
In 2025, attacks on journalists are set to escalate. A disturbing global trend continues to expand: the use of criminal law to silence journalists. This tactic, perfected by authoritarian regimes in places like Nicaragua, Venezuela, Russia, China, and the Philippines, is now spreading worldwide. Even in the United States, a Kansas newsroom faced such tactics in 2023.
According to the 2024 World Press Freedom Index from Reporters Without Borders, political authorities, who should protect freedom of the press, are instead weaponizing their judiciaries to criminalize journalism. The Committee to Protect Journalists reports that, as of December 1, 2023, 320 journalists were imprisoned — a stark reminder of this growing threat.
The repressive-regime handbook now includes tactics like SLAPPs (strategic lawsuits against public participation), financial pressure, and social media harassment. Still, the most concerning tactic is the weaponization of criminal law, leading to journalists’ imprisonment, financial ruin, and loss of civil rights. This not only silences dissent but also forces many journalists into exile, as seen with Nicaragua’s Confidencial and El Salvador’s El Faro.
In response, newsrooms are evolving. In 2025, they will prioritize building local and regional support networks, enhancing digital security, and looking for support in legal defense. New protocols, emergency funds for relocation, and reporting from abroad. Collaborations like #NoNosCallarán in Guatemala demonstrates the power of collective defense. Tools like the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker and the U.S. State of Press Freedom Index will continue to be crucial in safeguarding journalism.
As threats evolve, so must the strategies to protect the free press — a cornerstone of democracy.
Jose Zamora is a journalist and communications advisor.
In 2025, attacks on journalists are set to escalate. A disturbing global trend continues to expand: the use of criminal law to silence journalists. This tactic, perfected by authoritarian regimes in places like Nicaragua, Venezuela, Russia, China, and the Philippines, is now spreading worldwide. Even in the United States, a Kansas newsroom faced such tactics in 2023.
According to the 2024 World Press Freedom Index from Reporters Without Borders, political authorities, who should protect freedom of the press, are instead weaponizing their judiciaries to criminalize journalism. The Committee to Protect Journalists reports that, as of December 1, 2023, 320 journalists were imprisoned — a stark reminder of this growing threat.
The repressive-regime handbook now includes tactics like SLAPPs (strategic lawsuits against public participation), financial pressure, and social media harassment. Still, the most concerning tactic is the weaponization of criminal law, leading to journalists’ imprisonment, financial ruin, and loss of civil rights. This not only silences dissent but also forces many journalists into exile, as seen with Nicaragua’s Confidencial and El Salvador’s El Faro.
In response, newsrooms are evolving. In 2025, they will prioritize building local and regional support networks, enhancing digital security, and looking for support in legal defense. New protocols, emergency funds for relocation, and reporting from abroad. Collaborations like #NoNosCallarán in Guatemala demonstrates the power of collective defense. Tools like the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker and the U.S. State of Press Freedom Index will continue to be crucial in safeguarding journalism.
As threats evolve, so must the strategies to protect the free press — a cornerstone of democracy.
Jose Zamora is a journalist and communications advisor.
