Myanmar journalists document a flash mob protest against the military coup in Yangon on May 6.
Photographer: Myat Thu Kyaw/NurPhoto/Getty Images
The Big Take
Investors Are Ignoring a Dangerous Crackdown on Press Freedom
- Even as ESG investing grows, press freedom gets scant scrutiny
- Huarong drama shows how information shortage hurts investors
Global press freedom is under spectacular pressure. More journalists than ever were in jail last year and the number of media workers killed rose by a third compared to 2019, with Asia accounting for nearly half of those murdered.
With a crackdown on the world’s press comes a more challenging business landscape for investors. Restricted information flows can mask political and regulatory problems as well as potential fraud and corruption, raising the risks of doing business — particularly in more volatile emerging markets where good-quality information may already be scarce.