Alaska Watchman – Bias and Credibility

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QUESTIONABLE SOURCE

A questionable source exhibits one or more of the following: extreme bias, consistent promotion of propaganda/conspiracies, poor or no sourcing to credible information, a complete lack of transparency, and/or is fake news. Fake News is the deliberate attempt to publish hoaxes and/or disinformation for profit or influence (Learn More). Sources listed in the Questionable Category may be very untrustworthy and should be fact-checked on a per-article basis. Please note sources on this list are not considered fake news unless specifically written in the reasoning section for that source. See all Questionable sources.

History

The Alaska Watchman launched in 2019 as a conservative Christian news site. Its About section states it is a “pro-life, pro-family and pro-freedom” project. Founder and editor Joel Davidson previously worked with Catholic media and the Alaska Family Council. The site frames itself as an alternative to “liberal” outlets like the Anchorage Daily News.

Read our profile on the United States media and government.

Funded by / Ownership

The Watchman is privately run, funded primarily through reader donations and monthly appeals for support. It is not a nonprofit, specifically choosing for-profit status “to have the freedom to speak candidly.” No institutional donors are disclosed.

Analysis / Bias

The Alaska Watchman is an advocacy outlet promoting conservative and religious causes. Coverage consistently emphasizes abortion opposition, anti-LBGTQ narratives, and Christian traditionalism. For example, an opinion piece claimed that an Anchorage Daily News history feature was “liberal propaganda” designed to weaken support for immigration enforcement. Another article described Corpus Christi parades as a public challenge to “leftist protests and gay pride parades.”

Stories regularly portray LGBTQ figures negatively, such as the transgender teacher report, which uses loaded language like “biological male” and “activist.” The site also publishes content blending religion and politics, treating Catholic rituals as social correctives.

On international issues, the Watchman publishes articles that frame pro-Palestinian protests as inherently anti-Semitic, blaming “far-left ideology” for enabling Hamas atrocities. Such commentary incorporates conspiracy-style tropes about Muslims refusing to assimilate in Europe and “woke” elites betraying Jews.

While some local news stories appear straightforward, the overwhelming editorial slant is partisan and religious. The site often uses moralistic or alarmist rhetoric, relying more on ideology than neutral evidence.

Failed Fact Checks

• American flag barred from Alaska’s Denali National Park & Preserve on Memorial Day weekend. – False
• Analysis of its content reveals reliance on religious pseudoscience (e.g., supernatural framing of sacraments as societal cures) and conspiracy-tinged narratives about immigration, Muslims, and “woke elites.” These lower its factual reliability.

The Alaska Watchman is a strongly conservative Christian media outlet promoting pro-life, pro-family, and anti-LGBTQ causes. It frequently employs ideological framing and religious pseudoscience, alongside conspiracy-leaning narratives about liberal elites and immigration. While it occasionally covers local events, it lacks consistent neutral sourcing and transparency. It is rated Right Biased and Mixed for factual reporting. (D. Van Zandt 08/23/2025)

Source: https://alaskawatchman.com/

Last Updated on August 23, 2025 by Media Bias Fact Check

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