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 Catch News as Left-Center biased based on story selection that slightly favors the left. We also rate them Mostly Factual in reporting due to occasional sensational and clickbait-type stories.
Detailed Report
Bias Rating: LEFT-CENTER
Factual Reporting: MOSTLY FACTUAL
Country: India
MBFC’s Country Freedom Rating: MODERATE FREEDOM
Media Type: Website
Traffic/Popularity: Medium Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: MEDIUM CREDIBILITY
History
Launched in 2015, Catch News is an English-language, Indian news and media website based in New Delhi, India. Catch News focuses on news, politics, sports, culture, local and international news, entertainment, Bollywood gossip, and technology. They describe their purpose in their own words as “to filter and provide news-on-the-run for an impatient new generation.” The current Editor is Bharat Bhushan.
Read our report on how Government influences media in India.
Funded by / Ownership
The Patrika group is the owner of the site, and the founder of the group is Karpoor Chandra Kulish. When he passed away in 2006, his son, Gulab Kothari, became the Chairman of the Patrika Group, and his grandchildren Nihar and Siddharth Kothari are in charge of the company. Catch News generates revenue from online advertising and subscriptions. The Bureau of Outreach & Communication details the guidelines for Government advertising, which consists of a significant portion of advertising revenue for Indian Newspapers.
Analysis / Bias
According to The Wire, “most newspapers in India would be completely unprofitable were it not for government advertising and other rent that they can collect. Bloomberg reports, “India’s government spent $640 million on advertisements.” Therefore, the media must be close to the ruling government.
In review, Catch News publishes articles with emotionally loaded language and with a critical Narendra Modi tone (Current Prime Minister and right-wing nationalist party BJP leader) such as “Narendra Modi’s Republic of Fear” and “Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Statue Of Unity: Modi Ji, instead upon the statue, here’s how you could have used Rs 3000 crore.”
The Economic Times India reports that due to its political ideology (The group that owns Catch News as well as its sister publication, Rajasthan Patrika), Patrika claimed a sharp decline in government advertisements with a quote that reads, “both display and classified ads issued by the state had dipped to all-time lows, and this was affecting its circulation too.”
Recently, however, the tone has been more neutral towards PM Modi, such as this republished story from ANI news agency “PM Modi plants saplings in Parliament as part of plantation drive.”
When it comes to sourcing, Catch News often hyperlinks to itself. It republishes articles from Indian news agencies such as ANI news agency and PTI (The Press Trust of India Ltd.). Further, they occasionally publish sensational stories under the section “Bizarre news,” which is poorly sourced and consists of clickbait headlines: “Believe it or not! Watch how raw chicken jumps out of dish prepared at restaurant; netizens left shocked!”
When covering world news pertaining to the USA, they cover the former Trump administration with a relatively neutral tone, such as this: “US President Donald Trump presents Pakistan PM Imran Khan a cricket bat at White House.”
Failed Fact Checks
Overall, we rate Catch News as Left-Center biased based on story selection that slightly favors the left. We also rate them as Mostly Factual in reporting due to occasional sensational and clickbait-type stories. (M. Huitsing 7/29/2019) Updated (12/31/2023)
Source: http://www.catchnews.com
Last Updated on December 31, 2023 by Media Bias Fact Check
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Left vs. Right Bias: How we rate the bias of media sources