Covering the war exposes media professionals to serious risks, including with regard to physical safety. This is according to the “Europe Press Freedom Report 2024”, published by the Council of Europe today in collaboration with partner organisations of the Safety of Journalists Platform. The subtitle speaks volumes: “Confronting political pressure, disinformation and the erosion of media independence”. According to the report, “the risks that journalists faced covering the war of aggression of Russia against Ukraine remained the most pressing concern related to the safety of journalists in Europe in 2024”. The report also identifies as “serious threats” the digital surveillance of journalists and its risks to source confidentiality, the transnational repression of journalists – notably, from Russia and Belarus – and the trend towards media capture by governments in some countries. The report also warns of “the rising threat of disinformation, including AI-generated content and state propaganda, used to manipulate public opinion and undermine independent journalism”.