Guyana slips in 2026 World Press Freedom Index

May 01, 2026 News

…systemic weaponization of state advertising highlighted

(Kaieteur News) – Guyana has fallen three places in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index, sliding to 76th out of 180 countries as the nation’s media landscape grapples with the shuttering of a landmark institution and tightening legislative restrictions.

The annual report, released Thursday, reflects a declining score of 59.58, down from 60.12 in 2025. The downgrade follows a year defined by the closure of the Stabroek News, a cornerstone of Guyanese journalism for four decades, and what observers describe as an increasingly hostile environment for independent reporting.

“Guyana enjoys a diversity of national and regional media outlets, though a major daily newspaper, The Stabroek News, announced its closure in 2026 after 40 years of publication,” the report said.

Stabroek News closure sent shockwaves through the Caribbean. Upon its dissolution, the publication’s management accused the government of withholding over $84 million (GYD) in advertising debt, a move the outlet characterised as a deliberate attempt to stifle its economic viability.

The Index highlights a systemic weaponisation of State advertising, noting that independent and opposition media outlets struggle to compete with pro-government counterparts for essential revenue.

“Independent and opposition media outlets struggle to compete with the advertising revenues of pro-government media outlets, which threatens their economic viability. The Stabroek News accused the government of failing to pay over $84 million in advertising debt to the newspaper when it announced it would shut down operations,” the report added.

While Guyana’s Security Indicator saw an improvement, rising to 86.56 as physical violence against press remains rare, other metrics tell a story of institutional decline. Despite a marginal rise in the economic score, the report notes that the overall media house environment remains fragile.

The report raises significant alarms regarding the Guyana Broadcast Authority Board, noting that members are appointed directly by the President without opposition consultation. This lack of bipartisan representation has led to concerns over the independence of licensing bodies.

Furthermore, the National Assembly has faced criticism for instituting controversial restrictions in 2026, including a ban on news cameras within the chambers. Journalists have also pointed to the continued use of defamation lawsuits by public officials as a form of “legal harassment” intended to discourage investigative probes.

While the 2023 shooting of investigative journalist Travis Chase’s car remains a memory of physical risk, the 2026 report shifts focus to digital and verbal aggression. Media professionals report being regularly “bullied online” by political actors and supporters.

The report concludes that while the Constitution nominally guarantees freedom of expression, the passage of recent legislation, including laws that allow for the imprisonment of journalists for up to two years, serves as a “muzzle” on those who openly challenge the authorities.

“While Guyana protects freedom of speech and the right to information, journalists who oppose the authorities face intimidation and the economic viability of “media houses,” a local term for outlets, is threatened by reduced State advertising.”

Further, the report states that “Politicians regularly sideline media houses for political reasons.”

“Presidential press conferences are rare and tightly controlled. In 2026, the National Assembly instituted new, controversial restrictions on press access, including banning news cameras,” the report said while adding that “Public officials use defamation lawsuits to criticise the media, and the threat of legal harassment can be enough to discourage journalists from pursuing an investigation.”

As of press time, the government has not issued a formal response to the latest Index rankings.

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legislative restrictions, Press Freedom, tabroek News, World Press Freedom Index

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