Montenegro
40
The RSF Index annually assesses press freedom worldwide by analyzing pluralism, media independence, and the pressures faced by journalists. In 2024, Montenegro ranked 40th out of 180 countries, placing it among those in a relatively good situation.
25
IREX Vibrant Barometer
The Vibrant Information Barometer analyzes the production, dissemination, consumption , and use of information. In 2024, Montenegro is classified in the “Slightly Vibrant” category (11-20): quality information exists, but disinformation and hate speech remain influential.
33
Media Education
The 2023 Media Literacy Index ranks countries based on their resilience to disinformation and misinformation.
Montenegro is ranked among the countries moderately vulnerable to disinformation, where media literacy is developing but still insufficient.
65
Perception of corruption
The CPI ranks 180 countries and territories worldwide based on their perceived levels of public sector corruption, scoring them on a scale from 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). In 2024, Montenegro scored 46/100.
Fragile press freedom
Montenegro, although small in population (620,000), has over 150 media outlets, including three daily newspapers and several TV channels. However, a large proportion of these media outlets are controlled by foreign interests, particularly Serbian ones. Although diverse, the media landscape and press freedom are threatened by media concentration and political interference, with the public broadcaster RTCG often criticized for its proximity to the government.
Threats and self-censorship
Independent journalists face pressure ranging from verbal threats to physical attacks and lawsuits aimed at silencing them. Self-censorship remains a major problem, particularly on sensitive topics such as corruption and organized crime.
A gradual development of media education
Despite the still unfavorable state of media education, Montenegro has taken important initiatives, notably by integrating MIL into the education system to raise awareness among young people about verifying information and critical thinking, particularly through training on media manipulation.
fact-checking sites in Montenegro
Raskrinkavanje.me
Operated by the Center for Democratic Transition (CDT), Raskrinkavanje.me is dedicated to combating media manipulation, improving the quality of media content, and promoting media literacy in Montenegro.
Digital Forensic Center (DFC)
As part of the Atlantic Council of Montenegro , the DFC focuses on identifying, analyzing and combating disinformation and fake news, thus contributing to better public information.
Center for Investigative Journalism of Montenegro (CIN-CG)
CIN-CG conducts in-depth journalistic investigations, often dealing with issues related to corruption, organized crime and disinformation.
