Daily Source Bias Check: Chicago Reader

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 Chicago Reader Left Biased based on editorial positions that favor the left. We also rate them High for factual reporting due to a clean fact check record.

Detailed Report

Factual Reporting: HIGH
Country: USA
World Press Freedom Rank: USA 45/180

History

Founded in 1971, The Chicago Reader is an American alternative weekly newspaper in Chicago, Illinois, that covers the arts, particularly film and theater. The current editors are Karen Hawkins and Sujay Kumar. According to their about page “The Chicago Reader is a media company creating and curating political and cultural coverage by and for Chicagoans, including highlighting underrepresented communities and stories.”

Read our profile on United States government and media.

Funded by / Ownership

The Chicago Reader does not directly state ownership but states on the about page “Our new business structure is L3C, which means we are mission-driven, not profit-driven. We are community-supported, fifty percent African American owned, and we could not be more proud of our equitable approach to community coverage, staffing, and vendor supply.” Revenue is derived through advertising and paid subscriptions.

Analysis / Bias

In review, the Chicago Reader reports on cultural and political news for the greater Chicago metro area. The paper/website also publishes music and food reviews, but our focus will be on political news. When reporting political news they often present with story selection that favors a liberal perspective such as this Abolish the police? Organizers say it’s less crazy than it sounds and this The front lines of police brutality. Stories are not always sourced via hyperlinks but offer first-person accounts and quotes. 

Editorially, almost all stories favor the left such as pro-LGBTQ rights, and pro-science perspective on climate change. They also frequently report negatively on Republican President Donald Trump. In general, they report news factually and with a left-leaning editorial bias.

Failed Fact Checks

• None in the Last 5 years

Overall, we rate the Chicago Reader Left Biased based on editorial positions that favor the left. We also rate them High for factual reporting due to a clean fact check record. (D. Van Zandt 8/19/2016) Updated (6/6/2020)

Source: https://www.chicagoreader.com/