Key media freedoms in Poland
Poland: Key media freedoms was 2.14 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
2.14
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
22nd
of 175 countries
All-time high
2.89
in 2008
All-time low
-1.01
in 1944
Years of data
103
1918–2025
Key media freedoms in Poland, 1918–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, key media freedoms in Poland stood at 2.14.
That represents a change of down 19.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key media freedoms in Poland peaked at 2.89 in 2008 and was at its lowest, -1.01, in 1944.
Poland ranks 22nd of 175 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Key media freedoms in Poland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1918 | 1.25 | — |
| 1919 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 1921 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 0.865 | -30.7% |
| 1927 | 0.667 | -22.9% |
| 1928 | 0.667 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 0.667 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 0.667 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 0.667 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 0.667 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 0.667 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 0.667 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 0.667 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 0.54 | -19.0% |
| 1937 | 0.54 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 0.54 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | -1.01 | -286.9% |
| 1945 | -1.01 | -0.0% |
| 1946 | -1.01 | -0.0% |
| 1947 | -1.01 | -0.0% |
| 1948 | -1.01 | -0.0% |
| 1949 | -1.01 | -0.0% |
| 1950 | -1.01 | -0.0% |
| 1951 | -1.01 | -0.0% |
| 1952 | -1.01 | -0.0% |
| 1953 | -1.01 | -0.0% |
| 1954 | -1.01 | -0.0% |
| 1955 | -1.01 | -0.0% |
| 1956 | -1.01 | -0.0% |
| 1957 | -0.621 | -38.5% |
| 1958 | -0.621 | -0.0% |
| 1959 | -0.621 | -0.0% |
| 1960 | -0.621 | -0.0% |
| 1961 | -0.621 | -0.0% |
| 1962 | -0.621 | -0.0% |
| 1963 | -0.621 | -0.0% |
| 1964 | -0.621 | -0.0% |
| 1965 | -0.621 | -0.0% |
| 1966 | -0.621 | -0.0% |
| 1967 | -0.621 | -0.0% |
| 1968 | -0.621 | -0.0% |
| 1969 | -0.621 | -0.0% |
| 1970 | -0.621 | -0.0% |
| 1971 | -0.621 | -0.0% |
| 1972 | -0.621 | -0.0% |
| 1973 | -0.621 | -0.0% |
| 1974 | -0.621 | -0.0% |
| 1975 | -0.621 | -0.0% |
| 1976 | -0.621 | -0.0% |
| 1977 | -0.621 | -0.0% |
| 1978 | -0.621 | -0.0% |
| 1979 | -0.621 | -0.0% |
| 1980 | -0.621 | -0.0% |
| 1981 | -0.621 | -0.0% |
| 1982 | -0.621 | -0.0% |
| 1983 | -0.621 | -0.0% |
| 1984 | -0.621 | -0.0% |
| 1985 | -0.621 | -0.0% |
| 1986 | -0.621 | -0.0% |
| 1987 | -0.621 | -0.0% |
| 1988 | -0.621 | -0.0% |
| 1989 | 0.626 | -200.8% |
| 1990 | 2.11 | +237.2% |
| 1991 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 1.65 | -21.8% |
| 2007 | 1.65 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 2.89 | +74.9% |
| 2009 | 2.89 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 2.89 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 2.89 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 2.89 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 2.89 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 2.89 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 2.67 | -7.6% |
| 2016 | 0.468 | -82.5% |
| 2017 | 0.294 | -37.2% |
| 2018 | 0.294 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 0.294 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 0.217 | -26.2% |
| 2021 | -0.214 | -198.6% |
| 2022 | -0.331 | +54.7% |
| 2023 | 0.16 | -148.3% |
| 2024 | 2.14 | +1240.0% |
| 2025 | 2.14 | +0.0% |
Poland compared with similar countries
- Poland's 2.14 is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.28, 1.7× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Poland's 2.14 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.973, 2.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 1.25 | 1.25 | 1.25 | 2 |
| 1920s | 1.04 | 0.667 | 1.25 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.6247 | 0.54 | 0.667 | 9 |
| 1940s | -1.01 | -1.01 | -1.01 | 6 |
| 1950s | -0.8926 | -1.01 | -0.621 | 10 |
| 1960s | -0.621 | -0.621 | -0.621 | 10 |
| 1970s | -0.621 | -0.621 | -0.621 | 10 |
| 1980s | -0.4963 | -0.621 | 0.626 | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.11 | 2.11 | 2.11 | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.17 | 1.65 | 2.89 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.84 | 0.294 | 2.89 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.6867 | -0.331 | 2.14 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Poland
More social development data for Poland
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 990,469 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,368 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (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 1,368 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0272 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 Poland?
- Key media freedoms in Poland was 2.14 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key media freedoms recorded in Poland?
- The highest recorded value was 2.89 in 2008.
- What is the lowest key media freedoms recorded in Poland?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.01 in 1944.
- How does Poland rank for key media freedoms?
- Poland ranks 22nd out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key media freedoms rising or falling in Poland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Poland 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 — 103 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.