Daily Source Bias Check: Commentary Magazine

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.

• Overall, we rate Commentary Magazine Right Biased based on story selection and editorial positions that favor the traditional Republican Party. We also rate them Mostly Factual for reporting, rather than High, due to sometimes misrepresenting the consensus of science on climate change, despite proper sourcing and a clean fact check record.

Detailed Report

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

History

Founded in 1945, Commentary is a monthly American magazine on religion, Judaism, and politics, as well as social and cultural issues. Besides its strong coverage of cultural issues, Commentary, historically provided a strong voice for the anti-Stalinist left. Norman Podhoretz the founder, originally a liberal Democrat turned neoconservative, moved the magazine to the right and toward the Republican Party in the 1970s and 1980s. The current editor is John Podhoretz who is an American writer, a columnist for the New York Post, the author of several books on politics, and a former speechwriter for Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush. The website also provides a masthead on their about page.

Funded by / Ownership

The magazine is owned by Commentary Inc., which is a nonprofit and serves as the publisher. Revenue is derived from print advertising, donations and subscription fees.

Analysis / Bias

In review, Commentary Magazine publishes original news and opinion pieces that favor neoconservative’s and are typically pro-Israel. They also produce several Podcasts per week.

Headlines often use moderate loaded emotional language to sway the reader such as this: Let the Impeachment Turf War Begin. This story is credibly sourced to the Washington Post. Although this is a conservative leaning publication they do not always align with the Trump administration: Trump Did This to Himself. When it comes to science, Commentary does not outright reject the  human impact on climate change, however they do not support government solutions and sometimes use wording that misleads on the impact such as this: The Worst Climate Change Canard.

In general, Commentary Magazine is very well written, with almost all stories favoring the right, however they do generally oppose the Trump Administration’s brand of Conservatism and usually properly source their information. 

A factual search reveals they have not failed a fact check.

Overall, we rate Commentary Magazine Right Biased based on story selection and editorial positions that favor the traditional Republican Party. We also rate them Mostly Factual for reporting, rather than High, due to sometimes misrepresenting the consensus of science on climate change, despite proper sourcing and a clean fact check record.  (D. Van Zandt 8/16/2016) Updated (9/24/2019)

Source: https://www.commentarymagazine.com/