Media Corruption Score in Panama

Panama: Media Corruption Score was 1.57 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
1.57
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
44th
of 175 countries
All-time high
1.78
in 2023
All-time low
-2.66
in 1982
Years of data
123
1903–2025

Media Corruption Score in Panama, 1903–2025

-3-2-1012190319642025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

Panama recorded 1.57 for media corruption score in 2025.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 32.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, media corruption score in Panama peaked at 1.78 in 2023 and was at its lowest, -2.66, in 1982.

Panama ranks 44th 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.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1900s -0.09 -0.09 -0.09 7
1910s -0.09 -0.09 -0.09 10
1920s -0.09 -0.09 -0.09 10
1930s -0.09 -0.09 -0.09 10
1940s -0.09 -0.09 -0.09 10
1950s -0.09 -0.09 -0.09 10
1960s -0.4082 -1.68 -0.09 10
1970s -1.68 -1.68 -1.68 10
1980s -2.46 -2.66 -1.68 10
1990s 1.13 1.11 1.14 10
2000s 1.14 1.14 1.14 10
2010s 1.17 1.14 1.19 10
2020s 1.42 1.19 1.78 6

Countries ranked near Panama

  1. 41 Senegal 1.69 compare
  2. 42 Poland 1.68 compare
  3. 43 Namibia 1.6 compare
  4. 45 Jamaica 1.49 compare
  5. 46 Ghana 1.39 compare
  6. 47 Gambia 1.38 compare

See the full ranking of 175 places →

More social development data for Panama

All data for Panama →

Frequently asked questions

What is media corruption score in Panama?
Media corruption score in Panama was 1.57 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest media corruption score recorded in Panama?
The highest recorded value was 1.78 in 2023.
What is the lowest media corruption score recorded in Panama?
The lowest recorded value was -2.66 in 1982.
How does Panama rank for media corruption score?
Panama ranks 44th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
Is media corruption score rising or falling in Panama?
Over the last ten years it is up 32.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Panama data come from?
The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Media Corruption Score. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 123 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Media Corruption Score
Source
V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
175 places, 18,887 data points, 1900–2025
Last refreshed

Gauges the frequency with which journalists, publishers, or broadcasters accept payments to modify news content, indicating the integrity (or corruption) of the media sphere.