LEFT-CENTER BIAS
These media sources have a slight to moderate liberal bias. They often publish factual information that utilizes loaded words (wording that attempts to influence an audience by appeals to emotion or stereotypes) to favor liberal causes. These sources are generally trustworthy for information but may require further investigation. See all Left-Center sources.
- Overall, we rate Balkan Insight as left-center biased based on story selection that moderately favors the left and is High for factual reporting due to proper sourcing of information.
Detailed Report
Bias Rating: LEFT-CENTER
Factual Reporting: HIGH
Country: United Kingdom
MBFC’s Country Freedom Rating: MOSTLY FREE
Media Type: Organization/Foundation
Traffic/Popularity: Medium Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: HIGH CREDIBILITY
History
Launched in 2005, Balkan Insight is the online news portal of Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN), a London-based NGO. In 2005, BIRN was the Balkan program of the London-based Institute for War & Peace Reporting, IWPR.
Balkan Insight serves as a news hub that covers the Balkan Peninsula (Southeastern Europe) and provides news and analysis relating to ten countries which are listed on their website under the countries section as Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, and Serbia. They also cover Turkey and Greece. Marija Ristic is the regional director of Balkan Investigative Reporting Network. The majority of the team are local journalists from Balkan countries. BIRN’s regional director and founder is Gordana Igric.
Read our profile on the UK government and media.
Funded by / Ownership
According to the Balkan Insight website, “BIRN is funded by a range of international governments, NGOs and charitable funds with interest in the region.” They also disclose their donors and partners. Besides having an open-access news service, Balkan Insight also has a premium service that offers more in-depth analysis on a subscription basis.
Analysis / Bias
In review, when covering USA news, Balkan Insight frequently uses strong loaded emotional language in headlines such as this: “Trump’s Insult to Montenegro Won’t Shatter NATO’s Credibility.” When it comes to news from different Balkan countries, they also use strong emotionally loaded language “Kosovo’s Erratic Foreign Policy is Alienating its Allies,” “Croatia, Albania Complain of Serbia’s Nationalism to NATO,” and “Hungary’s Foreign Minister: ‘We’re an Anti-Migration Country.’” In general, Balkan Insights utilizes local sources or local journalists, which we can not verify as credible; however, they also utilize credible sources such as Human Rights Watch, Reuters, and NPR. A review of story selection indicates that most stories lean left in wording and topic selection.
Editorially, the director and founder of BIRN, Gordana Igric, has criticized Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic because of his smear campaigns against a free press. President Vucic is a populist conservative Serbian Progressive Party member and has been described as authoritarian and hostile to media criticism.
Failed Fact Checks
- None in the Last 5 years. They are used by fact-checkers as a reference.
Overall, we rate Balkan Insight as left-center biased based on story selection that moderately favors the left and is High for factual reporting due to proper sourcing of information. (M. Huitsing 3/25/2019) Updated (11/25/2023)
Source: https://balkaninsight.com/
Last Updated on November 25, 2023 by Media Bias Fact Check
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