Capital Research Center – Bias and Credibility

These media sources are moderate to strongly biased toward conservative causes through story selection and/or political affiliation. They may utilize strong loaded words (wording that attempts to influence an audience by using appeal to emotion or stereotypes), publish misleading reports, and omit information reporting that may damage conservative causes. Some sources in this category may be untrustworthy. See all Right Bias sources.

• Overall, we rate Capital Research Right-Center Biased based on an editorial bias that always favors the right. We also rate them Mixed for factual reporting due to rejecting the consensus of science on climate change and the use of Questionable sources for support of claims.

Detailed Report

Bias Rating: RIGHT
Factual Reporting: MIXED
Country: USA
MBFC’s Country Freedom Rank: MOSTLY FREE
Media Type: Organization/Foundation
Traffic/Popularity: Minimal Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: MEDIUM CREDIBILITY

History

Capital Research Center (CRC) is a non-profit, Libertarian “think tank” organization located in Washington, D.C.  Capital Research Center was founded in 1984 by Willa Johnson. Before launching CRC, Johnson had been Senior Vice President of the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank with a mixed record reporting facts.

According to their about page, “Today, we study unions, environmentalist groups, and many nonprofit and activist organizations. We also keep an eye on crony capitalists who seek to profit by taking advantage of government regulations and by getting their hands on taxpayers’ money.”

Read our profile on the United States government and media.

Funded by / Ownership

Capital Research is a nonprofit organization that is funded through donations. The website lacks transparency as they do not list funding or donors. According to the left-leaning Sourcewatch, they have received donations from the right-leaning Kochs, the Scaifes, the Bradleys, and ExxonMobil.

Analysis / Bias

In review, the Capital Research Center uses minimal loaded words and typically sources credible information. The one area where CRC reports questionable information is on the topic of climate change, where they reject the consensus of experts in the field. For example, this, A Cult of Climate Change? This story is poorly sourced to the Questionable Daily Mail, CARM.org, and the Daily Caller. Outside of a rejection of the consensus of science regarding climate change (see funding), they are mostly factual in other areas as long as it supports free-market economics.

Editorially, Capital Research generally favors the former Trump administration and rejects anything that is not pro-capitalism.

Failed Fact Checks

• None in the last 5 years

Overall, we rate Capital Research Right-Center Biased based on an editorial bias that always favors the right. We also rate them Mixed for factual reporting due to rejecting the consensus of science on climate change and the use of Questionable sources for support of claims. (M. Huitsing 8/28/2017) Updated (12/31/2023)

Source: https://capitalresearch.org/