Daily Source Bias Check: The Morning Star

These media sources are moderately to strongly biased toward liberal 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 liberal causes. Some sources in this category may be untrustworthy. See all Left Bias sources.

• Overall, we rate The Morning Star strongly Left Biased based on story selection and editorial bias that favors a socialist perspective. We also rate them Mostly Factual, rather than High, due to not utilizing hyperlinked sourcing, but maintaining a clean fact check record.

Detailed Report

Factual Reporting: MOSTLY FACTUAL
Country: United Kingdom
World Press Freedom Rank: UK 33/180

History

Founded in 1930 as the Daily Worker, The Morning Star is a left-wing British daily tabloid newspaper with a focus on social, political and trade union issues. Articles and comment columns are contributed by writers from socialist, communist, social democratic, green and religious perspectives. According to their Support Us page they state: “The Morning Star is a reader-owned co-operative and unique as a lone socialist voice in a sea of corporate media. We offer a platform for those who would otherwise never be listened to, coverage of stories that would otherwise be buried. We are one of the few media organisations that is honest about the perspective it represents: that of the labour movement and working people all over the world.”

The current editor is Ben Chacko.

Funded by / Ownership

The Morning Star is owned by the People’s Press Printing Society, which is a cooperative that readers can join. Revenue is derived through subscription fees, advertising, print sales and donations.

Analysis / Bias

In review, The Morning Star clearly disclaims they are a socialist tabloid and therefore are transparent in their motivations. Stories often contain highly emotional wording that denigrates the right such as this Johnson pressured to apologise for decades of sexist, homophobic and racist remarks. This is clearly an op-ed that is not labeled as such and does not provide hyperlinked sourcing. In another story there is support for the left leaning Labour Party, Labour announces policies to expand green space and industry. Again there is not any type of hyperlinked sourcing. We understand this is a print newspaper, but something detailing where the information is coming from would be helpful. 

Editorially, all stories favor the left and denigrate the right. In general, there is poor use of sourcing and far left bias is presented through sensationalized headlines.

A factual search reveals they have not failed or have not been checked by an IFCN fact checker. In the past The Morning Star failed a fact check, but appropriately removed the article when aware.

Source: https://morningstaronline.co.uk/