World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) 2026 offers a critical moment to reaffirm freedom of expression and to align journalism, technology (including AI), and human rights actors around practical ways to strengthen information ecosystems for the future.
According to UNESCO’s World Trends Report 2022-2025, press freedom has experienced its steepest decline since 2012. This decline is comparable to that seen during the most unstable periods of the 20th century – the two world wars and the Cold War.
Myanmar is a country that is envisioning and implementing the building of a Union based on a democratic and federal system. In a democratic country, the role of the media is particularly important. Therefore, successive democratic governments have placed special emphasis on the role of the media and have supported the development of the media sector.
Therefore, during the first term of the democratic government elected by the people in 2014, the News Media Law was enacted for the development of the press and the advancement of the media sector. The purpose of the News Media Law explicitly states “to enable the media industry to firmly stand as the fourth estate.”
The State has shown particular interest in and given priority to the media sector, and has also provided support by fulfilling possible needs for the development of the industry. Likewise, the media community is expected to comply with journalistic ethics in order to contribute to the improvement of public social life, to promote the widespread development of journalism and media-related technologies, and for Myanmar’s media industry to study and adopt modern media technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) in accordance with international standards and professional ethics.
In the effort to develop the media sector and to enable free reporting and broadcasting in accordance with the law, media professionals themselves must enhance their own capacities, and all forms of reporting and presentation must comply with accepted professional ethics. In particular, in developing Myanmar as a democratic and developing country, press freedom should be exercised in a constructive manner, ensuring that it does not violate the national interest or the rights of any individual.
As such, it is necessary to implement the theme for World Press Freedom Day 2026, “Shaping a Future at Peace: Promoting Press Freedom for Human Rights, Development, and Security”. The 2026 theme emphasizes the critical role of independent journalism in fostering accountability, trust, and peace, while highlighting the impact of AI on information ecosystems and the need to protect journalists in conflict zones.
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