In Chile, presidential elections and the writing of a new constitution have taken centre stage amid controversy and some misinformation. The media has at times struggled to come to terms with these increasingly polarised national debates.

Media ownership remains highly concentrated in Brazil, South America’s biggest market. Big conglomerates dominate in broadcast and print, but face greater competition online and via social media. The president continues to attack the press routinely amid evidence of rising news fatigue.

The introduction of the digital tax in 2021 and enhanced measures to curb the spread of online hate speech as Kenya heads to an August election have impacted the media.

In the Philippines, the loosening of pandemic restrictions in March followed by a hard-fought presidential election campaign have helped news organisations recoup advertising and other revenues lost during the prolonged lockdown.

Although Indonesia has had a well-deserved regional reputation for press freedom since the fall of Soeharto in 1998 and the subsequent passage of the 1999 Press Law, the implementation of laws on electronic communications have threatened to undermine the independence of the digital media sector.

Indian media are diverse, with numerous outlets operating in English and multiple regional languages. The sector has been hard hit by the pandemic but is showing signs of recovery.