QUESTIONABLE SOURCE
A questionable source exhibits one or more of the following: extreme bias, consistent promotion of propaganda/conspiracies, poor or no sourcing to credible information, a complete lack of transparency, and/or is fake news. Fake News is the deliberate attempt to publish hoaxes and/or disinformation for profit or influence (Learn More). Sources listed in the Questionable Category may be untrustworthy and should be fact-checked on a per-article basis. Please note sources on this list are not considered fake news unless specifically written in the reasoning section for that source. See all Questionable sources.
- Overall, we rate Der Status as far-right-biased and questionable due to its frequent promotion of anti-immigration narratives and far-right ideologies. We rate its reporting as low in factuality due to its reliance on ideologically driven sources and propagation of conspiracy theories and pseudoscience.
Detailed Report
Questionable Reasoning: Propaganda, Poor Sourcing, Conspiracy, Pseudoscience, Misinformation
Bias Rating: EXTREME RIGHT (9.4)
Factual Reporting: LOW (7.4)
Country: Austria
MBFC’s Country Freedom Rating: MOSTLY FREE
Media Type: Website
Traffic/Popularity: Minimal Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: LOW CREDIBILITY
History
Der Status is an Austrian online newspaper targeting German-speaking audiences. It positions itself as a counterbalance to mainstream media, often presenting critical views of government actions and institutions, with content that sometimes resembles conspiracy narratives.
Bernadette Conrads, the managing director and majority shareholder of JJMB Media GmbH, which operates Der Status, has ties to Austria’s far-right movements. In 2015, she ran as a candidate for the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ)(Vienna), a far-right populist party, and was also associated with the nationalist, anti-immigration Identitarian Movement. These affiliations suggest a strong alignment with far-right ideologies, which likely influence the editorial direction of Der Status.
Read our profile on Austria’s media and government.
Funded by / Ownership
Der Status is operated by JJMB Media GmbH, a company registered in Vienna, Austria. Bernadette Conrads, the managing director, owns the majority of the shares. Matthias Hellner and Mag. Julian Schernthaner holds the remaining shares. The publication primarily relies on advertising revenue.
Analysis / Bias
Der Status is widely regarded as a conspiracy site, frequently promoting anti-immigration, eurosceptic narratives and unverified COVID-19 claims. For example, the article “Deutschland am Ende: Täglich 25 Sexualverbrechen durch Asylanten” amplifies fears about immigration, citing sources like BILD and the far-right outlet Journalistenwatch. The framing and selective sourcing in such articles reflect a significant bias against immigrants.
The site is also known for promoting conspiracy theories and pseudoscience, including narratives linking COVID-19 vaccines to cancer without credible evidence. Its “Great Reset” section features articles like “Goldenes Zeitalter des Totalitarismus: WEF-Harari hints at globalist world regime,” which accuses global elites of orchestrating totalitarian regimes through artificial intelligence and surveillance. The publication further claims censorship by the EU, alleging collaboration with tools like NewsGuard and BlueCoat to suppress dissenting voices, with Der Status portraying itself as a victim.
While occasionally referencing credible sources like the BBC or the World Health Organization, it does so selectively to support its narratives. Combined with its reliance on ideologically aligned outlets, this practice undermines the credibility of its reporting. The publication’s story choices and language heavily lean toward anti-globalist and anti-establishment viewpoints, blending established facts with conspiratorial framing to reinforce far-right narratives and mislead readers about the reliability of its content.
Failed Fact Checks
- None by third-party fact checker.
Overall, we rate Der Status as far-right-biased and questionable due to its frequent promotion of anti-immigration narratives and far-right ideologies. We rate its reporting as low in factuality due to its reliance on ideologically driven sources and propagation of conspiracy theories and pseudoscience. (M. Huitsing 12/07/2024)
Source: https://derstatus.at/
Last Updated on December 7, 2024 by Media Bias Fact Check
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