Key findings

• Local newspapers with decades-long legacies have shut down, circulation has plummeted and advertising revenue has become politicised and unreliable. Journalists at the district level face severe financial insecurity, often working unpaid or relying on side businesses to survive.
• The rise of digital platforms has coincided with increased censorship, self-censorship and legal harassment. Laws such as the Punjab Defamation Act 2024 and PECA amendments in 2025 are routinely used to intimidate journalists, impose fines and create a chilling effect for investigative reporting. Economic censorship through advertising and patronage further silences independent voices.
• Women journalists are disproportionately affected by layoffs, exclusion from press clubs, lack of training and workplace harassment. Journalists in North Punjab face threats from officials, religious groups, feudal landlords and criminal mafias, with little institutional support or solidarity. Legislative protections remain unimplemented, leaving media professionals vulnerable.

Core recommendations:

• Expedite the adoption of the Punjab journalists’ safety law and ensure the formation of a mandated safety commission to respond rapidly to threats and attacks against journalists.
• Compel media organisations to comply with minimum wage laws and labor protections, including safety standards with regular audits and penalties for non-compliance.
• Establish transparent, merit-based mechanisms for government advertising to prevent economic censorship and patronage.
• Review and amend restrictive laws to prevent misuse for intimidation and censorship and introduce safeguards against frivolous FIRs and fast-track tribunals.

Strategic actions

The report calls for setting up systematic mechanisms to document threats, attacks, and legal cases against journalists while engaging with civil society and international partners to monitor media freedom, fund safety initiatives and advocate for reforms at national and international forums.