LEFT-CENTER BIAS
These media sources have a slight to moderate progressive/liberal bias. They often publish factual information that utilizes loaded words (wording that attempts to influence an audience by using appeal to emotion or stereotypes) to favor progressive/liberal causes. These sources are generally trustworthy for information, but may require further investigation. See all Left-Center sources.
- Overall, we rate Danas as Left-Center Biased due to its consistently critical coverage of the Serbian government, framing that favors liberal-democratic values, and reliance on partner outlets with similar leanings. We rate its reporting as Mostly Factual based on occasional lack of diverse sourcing, and limited transparency in hyperlinking original materials.
Detailed Report
Bias Rating: LEFT-CENTER (-3.5)
Factual Reporting: MOSTLY FACTUAL (2.5)
Country: Serbia
MBFC’s Country Freedom Rating: MODERATE FREEDOM
Media Type: Newspaper
Traffic/Popularity: High Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: HIGH CREDIBILITY
History
Danas is a Serbian daily newspaper established on June 9, 1997, by a group of journalists formerly affiliated with Borba and Naša Borba. Founded during a turbulent political period, the outlet gained a reputation for its critical stance against the Milošević regime, which led to bans and state pressure during the late 1990s.
Danas covers political affairs, society, culture, and economics and is known for providing space for reader contributions through its “Dialog” section. The outlet is a member of several regional and international press associations, including the Southeast European Media Organization (SEEMO) and Project Syndicate. Danas operates both a print and online edition, and it is headquartered in Belgrade, Serbia.
Read our profile on Serbian media and government
Funded by / Ownership
Danas is owned by United Media, a division of United Group. On February 11, 2025, United Group sold SBB Serbia to e&/PPF Telecom and NetTV Plus to Telekom Srbija, but Danas remained with United Media. The outlet does not disclose revenue sources; it runs programmatic ads and offers no financial transparency.
Analysis / Bias
Danas.rs generally leans center-left in its editorial stance, frequently covering domestic political developments with a critical eye toward the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) while reporting more neutrally on international affairs. The outlet features regular columns, culture and lifestyle content, and international coverage through partners like BBC and N1 Belgrade. It also incorporates video journalism and multimedia, although not all content is thoroughly sourced with hyperlinks to original materials.
In the article “Vučić iz dalekog Majamija izbrojao ‘u glavu’ učesnike današnjeg protesta protiv njegovog režima”, Danas scrutinizes President Vučić’s statement on protest turnout in Serbia. The headline uses informal and ironic phrasing (“‘counted by head’ from faraway Miami”) to cast doubt on the president’s credibility, while the article highlights inconsistencies in his turnout figures and the dismissive tone of his remarks. Although a short video of the protest in Novi Sad is embedded and credited to Dana’s journalist, the article does not include quotes from protest organizers or independent verification of crowd sizes, reflecting a bias through the omission of alternative perspectives.
By contrast, in its international coverage, such as “China compiled a list of American products that will be exempted from tariffs of 125 percent: Beijing ready for concessions?”, Danas adopts a more neutral and informative tone. The article attributes information to Reuters but does not provide a direct hyperlink to the source, which limits transparency. It is accompanied by a video produced by N1 Belgrade titled “Global Focus: Trump’s Trade War,“ The use of this video enhances the depth of coverage but also leans on a partner outlet with a similar center-left orientation. Language in the article remains measured and avoids loaded phrasing, distinguishing Danas’s more balanced approach to world affairs.
Together, these examples illustrate that Danas tends to apply sharper, more critical framing in domestic political reporting, often using tone and emphasis to challenge government narratives. Its international reporting, while less critical in tone, still lacks consistent sourcing practices such as hyperlinking to original reports. The inclusion of multimedia supports reader engagement but reflects a reliance on ideologically aligned media like N1.
Failed Fact Checks
- None in the Last 5 years
Overall, we rate Danas as Left-Center Biased due to its consistently critical coverage of the Serbian government, framing that favors liberal-democratic values, and reliance on partner outlets with similar leanings. We rate its reporting as Mostly Factual based on occasional lack of diverse sourcing, and limited transparency in hyperlinking original materials. (M. Huitsing 05/01/2025)
Source: https://www.danas.rs/
Last Updated on May 1, 2025 by Media Bias Fact Check
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