RIGHT-CENTER BIAS
These media sources are slightly to moderately conservative in bias. They often publish factual information that utilizes loaded words (wording that attempts to influence an audience by using appeal to emotion or stereotypes) to favor conservative causes. These sources are generally trustworthy for information, but may require further investigation. See all Right-Center sources.
- Overall, we rate WLOS (ABS13News) Right-Center Biased based on editorial positions that slightly favor the right. We also rate them High for factual reporting due to proper sourcing and a clean fact check record.
Detailed Report
Factual Reporting: HIGH
Country: USA
World Press Freedom Rank: USA 45/180
History
Founded in 1954, WLOS is an ABC-affiliated television station licensed to Asheville, North Carolina, United States, serving Western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina. The associated website is wlos.com which provides news, sports, weather, lifestyle, and crime reporting.
Read our profile on United States government and media.
Funded by / Ownership
WLOS is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, which is a publicly-traded American telecommunications company that is controlled by the family of company founder Julian Sinclair Smith. The company is the largest television station operator in the United States by a number of stations, and largest by total coverage; owning or operating a total of 193 stations across the country (233 after all currently proposed sales are approved) in over 100 markets (covering 40% of American households), many of which are located in the South and Midwest.
Sinclair has been scrutinized by multiple media outlets for consistently favoring conservative politics. They are considered a rival to right biased Fox News for the conservative audience. The Seattle Times has written a piece documenting Sinclair’s right-wing bias. Further, according to the Center for Responsive Politics (Open Secrets) the Sinclair Broadcast Group has donated $1,143,508 or 80% to Republican candidates since 1994.
Finally, in March 2018, Sinclair ordered its stations to produce promos with an “anchor delivered journalistic responsibility message” dictated by the company. The wording of the mandated script was criticized by some station news staff and outside pundits for its discussion of “fake news” with some critics arguing that the message used similar language and rhetoric to that of Donald Trump. Trump responded to the promos on April 2, 2018, defending the company as being “far superior to CNN and even more Fake NBC, which is a total joke.”
Revenue is generated through advertising.
Analysis / Bias
In review, ABC13News reports local news with minimal bias in wording such as this About 150 Buncombe County first responders get COVID-19 vaccine from 1st shipment. Many news stories are accompanied by videos from the TV station. National and international news is provided through the Associated Press and others by Sinclair properties.
Editorially, WLOS.com does not publish op-eds, however, when reporting on politics they tend to slightly favor the right. Further, the website also features links to conservative TV host Sharyl Attkisson’s Full Measure TV program. In general, the news is reported factually and with a slight right-leaning editorial bias.
Failed Fact Checks
- None in the Last 5 years
Overall, we rate WLOS (ABS13News) Right-Center Biased based on editorial positions that slightly favor the right. We also rate them High for factual reporting due to proper sourcing and a clean fact check record. (D. Van Zandt 12/23/2020)
Source: https://wlos.com/
Left vs. Right Bias: How we rate the bias of media sources
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