Delivering independent news and information to the public has never been easy. But what we see today, from our global network of journalists, is truly different.
“It feels like a perfect storm has hit independent media,” Anastasia Rudenko of Ukraine told us.
Reporters face sophisticated state surveillance, legal intimidation, physical threats and more. Others are operating in conflict zones, risking their lives. Amid existing financial challenges, independent media initiatives across the world are grappling with the abrupt loss of U.S. government funding, which is impacting the entire funding landscape – a reality that has affected ICFJ as well.
For many of the journalists in our network, this World Press Freedom Day is different, and more important.
A recent Pew Research Center study suggests that they are not alone in this sentiment. It found that people across the globe value freedom of the press, even as many feel that free expression is under threat in their countries. Independent media has never been more critical to helping people make sense of the world and drive change.
Journalists like Anastasia, the founder and editor-in-chief of Rubryka, continue their work for this reason: “Our journalism survives because it’s not just reporting – it’s a form of resistance, of care, and of co-creation with the communities we serve.”
This World Press Freedom Day, I hope you will take a moment to read and share the perspectives of some of the journalists in ICFJ’s network. And if you can, please consider donating to ICFJ in support of independent media globally. Every contribution – however small – matters.
Make a Donation
Below, you’ll hear directly from some of our network members who continue their vital work despite tremendous obstacles.
All the best,
Sharon Moshavi
ICFJ President
“For the third year of its full-scale war against Ukraine, Russia has not only targeted our cities and civilians – it has actively targeted the truth. And this is exactly why it’s more important than ever to continue our work – to stay here, in Ukraine, documenting, informing and refusing to let the truth be erased.”
– Anastasia Rudenko
Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Rubryka
Ukraine
“One of the biggest challenges we’ve faced recently is the expansion and intensification of state-sponsored repression beyond Cuba’s borders. While I have lived in exile since 2019, the threats have not stopped. In fact, they have become more sophisticated and far-reaching, even with direct threats on me and my family.
We continue our journalism because we believe it’s essential – not just as a tool for information, but as a way to protect people’s dignity and agency.”
– José J. Nieves
Editor-in-Chief, El Toque and ICFJ Knight Fellow
Cuba (In Exile)
“I believe government surveillance of journalists using ever-developing technology is the biggest threat facing journalists.
Adding to that is the horrific suffering of many of my life-long colleagues in Gaza and their families, or colleagues in Yemen, facing war, and in political turmoil in countries like Syria, Lebanon and Iraq.”
– Rana Sabbagh
Investigative Editor, Reporter and 2025 ICFJ Knight Trailblazer Award Winner
Jordan
Photo credit: rubryka.com
