LEAST BIASED
These sources have minimal bias and use very few loaded words (wording that attempts to influence an audience by appeals to emotion or stereotypes). The reporting is factual and usually sourced. These are the most credible media sources. See all Least Biased Sources.
- Overall, we rate BR as Least Biased based on its neutral, responsible reporting and fact-based journalism with only mild progressive framing on certain sociopolitical issues. We also rate it High for factual reporting due to its robust fact-check unit (#Faktenfuchs), strong transparency, governance oversight, and frequent use of expert and institutional sources.
Detailed Report
Bias Rating: LEAST BIASED (-1.7)
Factual Reporting: HIGH (1.0)
Country: Germany
MBFC’s Country Freedom Rating: MOSTLY FREE
Media Type: Website
Traffic/Popularity: High Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: HIGH CREDIBILITY
History
BR (Bayerischer Rundfunk) is the public service broadcaster for the state of Bavaria in Germany, part of the ARD consortium of regional public broadcasters. It operates TV, radio, and online news, including the BR24 news portal. BR is financed mainly through the German public broadcasting fee (Rundfunkbeitrag), which is collected from households, businesses, and institutions. Its legal mandate (via the Bavarian Broadcasting Law) includes ensuring that its reporting does not present a distorted version of reality and that it serves as a counterweight to commercial and online media.
Read our profile on Germany’s government and media.
Funded by / Ownership
BR is a state public broadcaster under German law; it is not privately owned. It is publicly financed via fees (Rundfunkbeitrag), overseen by regulatory bodies, with governance structures designed to reflect civil society (churches, universities, cultural institutions, etc.).
Analysis / Bias
BR provides regional, national, and international news via its online news portal BR24 and produces multimedia content (articles, videos, podcasts). It also runs the fact-checking section #Faktenfuchs, which offers fact checks on topics such as “Eight myths about plastic” (“Acht Mythen über Plastik”) and “Attacks on passersby in Amberg: What we know.”
Two example news articles:
- Study: Government plugs budget holes with special funds — reporting on a study by an economic research institute (IW) and critiquing governmental budget practices.
- Bad Bromance: “Putin needs Trump to win” — an interview/explanation piece with a political scientist analyzing the relationship between Trump and Putin.
The fact-checking unit #Faktenfuchs is well-established, and its format explicitly labels assertions, examines public statements, myths, and misinformation. It functions similarly to other public-broadcaster fact checkers in Germany.
Overall, BR’s output tends to be neutral or only slightly left-leaning. It emphasizes evidence, multiple perspectives, expert input, fact checks, and public service responsibility.
Failed Fact Check
- None in the Last 5 years. They are IFCN fact checkers.
Overall, we rate BR as Least Biased based on its neutral, responsible reporting and fact-based journalism with only mild progressive framing on certain sociopolitical issues. We also rate it High for factual reporting due to its robust fact-check unit (#Faktenfuchs), strong transparency, governance oversight, and frequent use of expert and institutional sources. (D. Van Zandt 09/13/2025)
Source: https://www.br.de/
Last Updated on September 13, 2025 by Media Bias Fact Check
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Left vs. Right Bias: How we rate the bias of media sources