New research out from the press freedom group Reporters Without Borders looks at threats to press freedom and access key swing states — including Arizona.
The report comes just days before the Nov. 5 election and includes information on the media landscape in Florida, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Arizona. Researchers say journalists and experts surveyed describe issues with economic stability, a lack of responsiveness from government officials and hostility from political figures.
More than half said it was difficult to earn a living wage as a journalist. Nearly all said they were concerned officials delay or withhold public records — with the more dire concerns coming from respondents in Arizona.
Arizona also scored the worst of the report for anti-media hostility. Some 80% of respondents said local political figures or officials either organized or supported large-scale misinformation campaigns. A majority also said leading politicians explicitly insult, threaten, or incite hatred against journalists.
This year, the U.S. as a whole ranked 55th in the world in the organization's World Press Freedom Index, a 10-point drop from 2023.
