Daily Source Bias Check: Campus Reform

These media sources are moderately to strongly biased toward conservative causes through story selection and/or political affiliation. They may utilize strong loaded words (wording that attempts to influence an audience by using appeal to emotion or stereotypes), publish misleading reports and omit reporting of information that may damage conservative causes. Some sources in this category may be untrustworthy. See all Right Bias sources.

• Overall, we rate Campus Reform Right Biased based on story selection and editorial positions that routinely favor the Right. We also rate them Mixed for factual reporting due to an unproven claim as well as affiliation with sources that have failed many fact checks.

Detailed Report

Factual Reporting: MIXED
Country: USA
World Press Freedom Rank: USA 48/180

History

Campus Reform is a college news website. They claim to be “a conservative watchdog to the nation’s higher education system, Campus Reform exposes liberal bias and abuse on the nation’s college campuses.” The website is a project of the Leadership Institute, which is an institute founded in 1979 by conservative activist Morton C. Blackwell. Its mission is to “increase the number and effectiveness of conservative activists” and to “identify, train, recruit and place conservatives in politics, government, and media.”

The current editor-in-chief is Lawrence B. Jones III.

Funded by / Ownership

Campus Reform is owned by the Leadership Institute, which discloses their financial information, however they do not list donors. Some notable donors include: The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, Adolph Coors Foundation, Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation and DeVos Urban Leadership Initiative.  Revenue for Campus Reform is generated though donations.

Analysis / Bias

In review, the majority of articles are negative toward liberal activists on college campuses. There is use of some loaded words that typically favor the right such as this Conservatives claim victory after U Florida settles First Amendment case. Campus Reform typically sources their information, however they have been flagged for making an unproven claim. In reviewing the journalists involved in this project many have worked for the conservative and mixed factual Daily Caller, which has failed numerous fact checks as well as CNS News and The Blaze.

Editorially, all stories favor the right with many reporting favorably on President Donald Trump. When it comes to science, Campus Reform does not outright deny that Global Warming is related to fossil fuels, however, they frequently report negatively on Climate Change Activists.

Overall, we rate Campus Reform Right Biased based on story selection and editorial positions that routinely favor the Right. We also rate them Mixed for factual reporting due to an unproven claim as well as affiliation with sources that have failed many fact checks. (D. Van Zandt 8/23/2017) Updated (9/16/2019)

Source: https://www.campusreform.org