Canadaland – Bias and Credibility

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 Canadaland as Left-Center biased due to a left-leaning bias in story selection and editorial framing. However, its factual reporting rating is now Mostly Factual due to the internal fact-checking of its founder’s reporting. While Canadaland maintains high journalistic standards, this incident demonstrates a need for stronger editorial oversight.

Detailed Report

Bias Rating: LEFT-CENTER (-3.5)
Factual Reporting: MOSTLY FACTUAL (3.2)
Country: Canada
MBFC’s Country Freedom Rating: EXCELLENT
Media Type: Website
Traffic/Popularity: Minimal Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: HIGH CREDIBILITY

History

Canadaland is an independent news site and podcast network founded in 2013 by journalist Jesse Brown. It focuses on media criticism, investigative journalism, and Canadian politics. Canadaland gained national recognition for breaking the Jian Ghomeshi scandal, which brought attention to workplace harassment in Canadian media.

The platform presents itself as a watchdog over Canadian media, frequently scrutinizing mainstream news organizations, government policies, and corporate influence. Canadaland is a member of the National News Media Council, an independent body that promotes journalistic integrity in Canada.

Read our profile on Canada’s media and government.

Funded by / Ownership

Canadaland Inc. is a privately held corporation registered in Ontario. Audience contributions primarily fund it through a Patreon-style subscription model, supplemented by sponsorships and partnerships. The organization does not accept corporate or government funding, emphasizing its editorial independence.

Analysis / Bias

Canadaland is known for its investigative reporting and media criticism, often challenging establishment narratives. Its editorial stance leans progressive, with a focus on media consolidation, corporate accountability, and government transparency. While it does report on issues across the political spectrum, its story selection tends to favor left-leaning perspectives.

The site frequently uses moderately loaded language. For example, an article titled “The King of Canadian Conservative Shitposting” critiques right-wing digital influencers with a sharp and irreverent tone. Canadaland has also been critical of conservative political figures and organizations, although it does not exclusively focus on right-wing targets.

A recent controversy raised concerns about Canadaland’s editorial standards. In December 2023, Jesse Brown conducted an interview with Israel’s ambassador to Canada, which was widely criticized for failing to challenge misleading claims. Canadaland staff later published a fact-check of their own founder’s interview (See Below), correcting multiple inaccuracies. This incident highlighted a lapse in editorial oversight and raised questions about internal accountability.

Despite this, Canadaland generally adheres to strong journalistic standards. Articles are well-sourced, and the platform does not engage in conspiracy theories. However, the need for internal fact-checking of its editor’s reporting lowers its factual reporting rating.

Failed Fact Checks

• Jesse Brown’s interview with Israel’s ambassador contained multiple factual errors, requiring post-publication fact-checking by Canadaland’s own staff.

Overall, we rate Canadaland as Left–Center biased due to a left-leaning bias in story selection and editorial framing. However, its factual reporting rating is now Mostly Factual due to the internal fact-checking of its founder’s reporting. While Canadaland maintains high journalistic standards, this incident demonstrates a need for stronger editorial oversight. (D.Van Zandt 3/24/2018) Updated (02/15/2025)

Source: https://www.canadaland.com/