LEAST BIASED
These sources have minimal bias and use very few loaded words (wording that attempts to influence an audience by appeals to emotion or stereotypes). The reporting is factual and usually sourced. These are the most credible media sources. See all Least Biased Sources.
- Overall, we rate Express.de as Least Biased because it does not consistently favor any political party, though its coverage tends to emphasize environmental activism critically. Its factual accuracy is rated as Mostly Factual due to a reliance on sensationalism and limited in-depth reporting.
Detailed Report
Bias Rating: LEAST BIASED (-1.1)
Factual Reporting: MOSTLY FACTUAL (2.9)
Country: Germany
MBFC’s Country Freedom Rating: MOSTLY FREE
Media Type: Website
Traffic/Popularity: High Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: HIGH CREDIBILITY
History
Express.de is a German news portal based in Cologne that serves the North Rhine-Westphalia region, including Cologne, Bonn, and Düsseldorf. It covers various topics, including local news, sports, celebrity gossip, and politics. Known for its tabloid-style journalism, the outlet caters to a broad regional audience, often focusing on sensational and human-interest stories to drive engagement.
Read our profile on Germany’s media and government
Funded by / Ownership
Express is a subsidiary of the DuMont Media Group, which owns various regional newspapers and digital media outlets. The site focuses on regional news and entertainment, generating revenue mainly through subscriptions and advertisements.
Analysis / Bias
Express.de features attention-grabbing headlines and focuses on dramatic or sensational news. This style aims to engage readers emotionally with impactful stories. For example, “Serious accident in Cologne Father has to watch everything: Child (5) on bicycle hit by a truck” presents a local tragedy with dramatic framing, focusing on emotional impact rather than broader context.
Another example is celebrity news: “Fans rarely get to see this: Pop star Roland Kaiser shares a private family photo, highlighting the outlet’s penchant for entertainment-focused stories.
Political coverage often leans toward emphasizing sensationalism rather than detailed analysis. For instance, in reporting on climate protests by “Last Generation,” titled “Climate protest stopped: “Last Generation” wants to paralyze Cologne city center – police intervene,” the language and framing focus heavily on the disruptive nature of the protests, such as “wants to paralyze Cologne city center,” rather than exploring the climate goals behind the activism. Police intervention and public inconvenience are given priority over providing context about the broader environmental movement or the group’s motivations. This selective focus and the absence of activist perspectives reflect a tendency to present events through a lens that engages readers emotionally while offering limited depth or balance.
Furthermore, Express.de often portrays The Alternative for Germany (AfD), extreme right party known for its anti-immigration and nationalist stance, critically emphasizing opposition to its rhetoric and policies. Additionally, the article “Scholz wants to ask a question of confidence – what that means” is sourced from the Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa); the piece provides a detailed explanation of the constitutional and historical framework surrounding Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s potential confidence vote, emphasizing the legal steps and past precedents
In general, while Express occasionally republishes factual reports from sources like Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa), its own coverage tends to prioritize emotionally engaging or dramatic narratives over comprehensive reporting.
Failed Fact Checks
- None in the Last 5 years
Overall, we rate Express.de as Least Biased because it does not consistently favor any political party, though its coverage tends to emphasize environmental activism critically. Its factual accuracy is rated as Mostly Factual due to a reliance on sensationalism and limited in-depth reporting. (M. Huitsing 12/30/2024)
Source: https://www.express.de/
Last Updated on December 30, 2024 by Media Bias Fact Check
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