Statizoid

Media Corruption Score in United Kingdom

United Kingdom: Media Corruption Score was 2.42 in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)
2.42
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
19th
of 175 countries
All-time high
2.45
in 1998
All-time low
0.982
in 1900
Years of data
126
1900–2025

Media Corruption Score in United Kingdom, 1900–2025

00.511.522.5190019622025

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

Analysis

United Kingdom recorded 2.42 for media corruption score in 2025.

That represents a change of down 1.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, media corruption score in United Kingdom peaked at 2.45 in 1998 and was at its lowest, 0.982, in 1900.

United Kingdom ranks 19th of 175 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 126 years of available data.

Media Corruption Score in United Kingdom, year by year

Year Value Change
1900 0.982 —
1901 0.982 +0.0%
1902 0.982 +0.0%
1903 0.982 +0.0%
1904 0.982 +0.0%
1905 0.982 +0.0%
1906 0.982 +0.0%
1907 0.982 +0.0%
1908 0.982 +0.0%
1909 0.982 +0.0%
1910 0.982 +0.0%
1911 0.982 +0.0%
1912 0.982 +0.0%
1913 0.982 +0.0%
1914 0.982 +0.0%
1915 0.982 +0.0%
1916 0.982 +0.0%
1917 0.982 +0.0%
1918 0.982 +0.0%
1919 0.982 +0.0%
1920 0.982 +0.0%
1921 0.982 +0.0%
1922 0.982 +0.0%
1923 0.982 +0.0%
1924 0.982 +0.0%
1925 0.982 +0.0%
1926 0.982 +0.0%
1927 0.982 +0.0%
1928 0.982 +0.0%
1929 0.982 +0.0%
1930 0.982 +0.0%
1931 0.982 +0.0%
1932 0.982 +0.0%
1933 0.982 +0.0%
1934 0.982 +0.0%
1935 0.982 +0.0%
1936 0.982 +0.0%
1937 0.982 +0.0%
1938 0.982 +0.0%
1939 0.982 +0.0%
1940 0.982 +0.0%
1941 0.982 +0.0%
1942 0.982 +0.0%
1943 0.982 +0.0%
1944 0.982 +0.0%
1945 0.982 +0.0%
1946 1.53 +55.4%
1947 2.38 +55.8%
1948 2.38 +0.0%
1949 2.38 +0.0%
1950 2.38 +0.0%
1951 2.38 +0.0%
1952 2.38 +0.0%
1953 2.38 +0.0%
1954 2.38 +0.0%
1955 2.38 +0.0%
1956 2.38 +0.0%
1957 2.38 +0.0%
1958 2.38 +0.0%
1959 2.38 +0.0%
1960 2.38 +0.0%
1961 2.38 +0.0%
1962 2.38 +0.0%
1963 2.38 +0.0%
1964 2.38 +0.0%
1965 2.38 +0.0%
1966 2.38 +0.0%
1967 2.38 +0.0%
1968 2.38 +0.0%
1969 2.38 +0.0%
1970 2.38 +0.0%
1971 2.38 +0.0%
1972 2.38 +0.0%
1973 2.38 +0.0%
1974 2.38 +0.0%
1975 2.38 +0.0%
1976 2.38 +0.0%
1977 2.38 +0.0%
1978 2.38 +0.0%
1979 2.38 +0.0%
1980 2.38 +0.0%
1981 2.38 +0.0%
1982 2.38 +0.0%
1983 2.38 +0.0%
1984 2.38 +0.0%
1985 2.38 +0.0%
1986 2.38 +0.0%
1987 2.38 +0.0%
1988 2.38 +0.0%
1989 2.38 +0.0%
1990 2.38 +0.0%
1991 2.38 +0.0%
1992 2.38 +0.0%
1993 2.38 +0.0%
1994 2.38 +0.0%
1995 2.38 +0.0%
1996 2.38 +0.0%
1997 2.38 +0.0%
1998 2.45 +3.2%
1999 2.45 +0.0%
2000 2.45 +0.0%
2001 2.45 +0.0%
2002 2.45 +0.0%
2003 2.45 +0.0%
2004 2.45 +0.0%
2005 2.45 +0.0%
2006 2.45 +0.0%
2007 2.45 +0.0%
2008 2.45 +0.0%
2009 2.45 +0.0%
2010 2.45 +0.0%
2011 2.45 +0.0%
2012 2.45 +0.0%
2013 2.45 +0.0%
2014 2.45 +0.0%
2015 2.45 +0.0%
2016 2.45 +0.0%
2017 2.45 +0.0%
2018 2.45 +0.0%
2019 2.45 +0.0%
2020 2.42 -1.3%
2021 2.42 +0.0%
2022 2.42 +0.0%
2023 2.42 +0.0%
2024 2.42 +0.0%
2025 2.42 +0.0%

United Kingdom compared with similar countries

  • United Kingdom's 2.42 is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.96, 1.2× the median. (55 countries reporting)
  • United Kingdom's 2.42 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.14, 2.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1900s 0.982 0.982 0.982 10
1910s 0.982 0.982 0.982 10
1920s 0.982 0.982 0.982 10
1930s 0.982 0.982 0.982 10
1940s 1.45 0.982 2.38 10
1950s 2.38 2.38 2.38 10
1960s 2.38 2.38 2.38 10
1970s 2.38 2.38 2.38 10
1980s 2.38 2.38 2.38 10
1990s 2.39 2.38 2.45 10
2000s 2.45 2.45 2.45 10
2010s 2.45 2.45 2.45 10
2020s 2.42 2.42 2.42 6

Countries ranked near United Kingdom

  1. 16 Finland 2.56 compare
  2. 17 Estonia 2.5 compare
  3. 18 Chile 2.47 compare
  4. 20 Mauritius 2.35 compare
  5. 21 Latvia 2.35 compare
  6. 22 South Korea 2.34 compare

See the full ranking of 175 places →

More social development data for United Kingdom

All data for United Kingdom →

Frequently asked questions

What is media corruption score in United Kingdom?
Media corruption score in United Kingdom was 2.42 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest media corruption score recorded in United Kingdom?
The highest recorded value was 2.45 in 1998.
What is the lowest media corruption score recorded in United Kingdom?
The lowest recorded value was 0.982 in 1900.
How does United Kingdom rank for media corruption score?
United Kingdom ranks 19th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
Is media corruption score rising or falling in United Kingdom?
Over the last ten years it is down 1.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this United Kingdom 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.

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Media Corruption Score in United Kingdom. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/media-corruption-score/united-kingdom/

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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.