Daily Source Bias Check: 9 News (Australia)

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 appealing 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 Nine News Right-Center biased based on story selection and 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

Bias Rating: RIGHT-CENTER
Factual Reporting: HIGH
Country: Australia (25/180 Press Freedom)
Media Type: TV Station
Traffic/Popularity: High Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: HIGH CREDIBILITY

History

9News.com.au (9NEWS) is the digital arm of Nine News, the news division of Nine Network in Australia. Nine Network Australia (NNA) is one of Australia’s major commercial TV networks and a subsidiary of Nine Entertainment Co. Their assets include major newspapers such as The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and The Australian Financial Review.  The network’s headquarters are located in Sydney. 

Nine Entertainment was originally owned by the Packer family, an Australian media dynasty. After the head of the family, Kerry Packer, passed away, his son James Packer sold the company, then known as PBL Media. In 2013, PBL media was rebranded as Nine Entertainment Company. In 2018, Nine Entertainment and Fairfax Media would merge, becoming NINE. Nine’s Chairman is Peter Costello, who served as treasurer in the Howard Government, a Center-Right Liberal Party of Australia. 

Read how government influences media in Australia.

Funded by / Ownership 

The general public holds a 45% stake in Nine Entertainment Holdings. Birketu Pty. Ltd. is the largest shareholder with 15%, a significant stake; however, “no single shareholder has a majority interest in the ownership.” Birketu Pty. Ltd is owned by Bruce Gordon.  Advertising generates revenue for NINE.

Analysis / Bias

Nine News (9News) publishes news with story selection that leans center-right. The articles published typically utilizes words with negative connotations when referring to the labor party leader. For example, this article was published with a headline that utilized emotionally loaded language “Labor Leader Anthony Albanese dismisses speculation his leadership is under threat.”  A quote from the article explains further about the source of threat as “ rumors” and “amid rumors rumbling through the corridors of Parliament House.” Nine News typically report favorably on the right-leaning Prime Minister Scott Morrison “’I have to make decisions in the national interest.’”

When reporting on science, they promote the consensus on covid-19 and climate change such as this Atlantic Ocean warmest it has been for 3000 years, scientists say and “Scientists demand federal government act on climate change”. In general, they report the news factually and with a right-leaning editorial bias.

Failed Fact Checks

• None in the Last 5 years

Overall, we rate Nine News Right-Center biased based on story selection and 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. (5/5/2017) (M. Huitsing 5/7/2021)

Source: https://www.9news.com.au/