Key media freedoms in Australia
Australia: Key media freedoms was 2.22 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
2.22
Change on year
up 22.6%
World rank
18th
of 175 countries
All-time high
3.35
in 1970
All-time low
1.36
in 1939
Years of data
125
1901–2025
Key media freedoms in Australia, 1901–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Australia recorded 2.22 for key media freedoms in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 22.6% on the previous year and down 17.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key media freedoms in Australia peaked at 3.35 in 1970 and was at its lowest, 1.36, in 1939.
That places Australia 18th out of 175 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 125 years of available data.
Key media freedoms in Australia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1901 | 3.02 | — |
| 1902 | 3.02 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 3.02 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 3.02 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 3.02 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 3.02 | +0.0% |
| 1907 | 3.02 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 3.02 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 3.02 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 3.02 | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 3.02 | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 3.02 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 3.02 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 1.59 | -47.4% |
| 1915 | 1.59 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 1.59 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 1.59 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 1.59 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 2.44 | +53.0% |
| 1920 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1921 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 1.36 | -44.3% |
| 1940 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 2.44 | +79.6% |
| 1947 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 3.35 | +37.7% |
| 1971 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 3.35 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 2.67 | -20.3% |
| 2014 | 2.67 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 2.67 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 2.67 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 2.67 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 1.99 | -25.6% |
| 2019 | 2.42 | +21.9% |
| 2020 | 2.42 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 1.83 | -24.6% |
| 2022 | 2.21 | +21.1% |
| 2023 | 2.21 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 1.81 | -18.3% |
| 2025 | 2.22 | +22.6% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 2.22 is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.28, 1.7× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Australia's 2.22 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.3835, 5.8× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 3.02 | 3.02 | 3.02 | 9 |
| 1910s | 2.25 | 1.59 | 3.02 | 10 |
| 1920s | 2.44 | 2.44 | 2.44 | 10 |
| 1930s | 2.33 | 1.36 | 2.44 | 10 |
| 1940s | 1.79 | 1.36 | 2.44 | 10 |
| 1950s | 2.44 | 2.44 | 2.44 | 10 |
| 1960s | 2.44 | 2.44 | 2.44 | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.35 | 3.35 | 3.35 | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.35 | 3.35 | 3.35 | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.35 | 3.35 | 3.35 | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.35 | 3.35 | 3.35 | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.78 | 1.99 | 3.35 | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.12 | 1.81 | 2.42 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More social development data for Australia
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 33,415 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 41 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 41 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0012 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is key media freedoms in Australia?
- Key media freedoms in Australia was 2.22 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key media freedoms recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 3.35 in 1970.
- What is the lowest key media freedoms recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.36 in 1939.
- How does Australia rank for key media freedoms?
- Australia ranks 18th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key media freedoms rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Key media freedoms. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 125 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Central estimate of the extent to which the government directly or indirectly attempts to censor political content in print and broadcast media, through formal restrictions or indirect pressures such as financial control, licensing, or access to distribution channels.