Media Institute of Southern Africa Releases 2026 Press Freedom Report

The report covers 11 countries in the region and provides an assessment of the media environment. It states that constitutional protections for press freedom are in place, but journalists face challenges from market conditions, digital monitoring and certain laws.

The report indicates that governments in the region use cybersecurity and data protection laws to monitor communications and address dissent. It cites an example in Tanzania, where a six-day nationwide internet shutdown occurred during the October 2025 general elections.

The report addresses safety issues for media workers, including technology-facilitated gender-based violence. In Zimbabwe, it states that 63% of women journalists experience this issue, which affects their freedom of expression and professional work.

The report notes progress, such as a High Court ruling in Malawi that decriminalized defamation. It also discusses financial challenges in the media sector, describing them as a market failure where investment in public-interest journalism is insufficient.

To address these issues, the report suggests policy measures including tax deductions for reader subscriptions and zero-rated data for news sites. It states these could support the sector while maintaining editorial independence. The report also covers the role of artificial intelligence in the digital space.

It states that AI-generated summaries reduce traffic to news websites, impacting audience engagement.

“We urge governments, academia and civil society to engage with this report and commit to comprehensive policy frameworks that recognise public interest journalism as the essential public good it is," said MISA Regional Director Tabani Moyo.”