LEFT BIAS
These media sources are moderate to strongly biased toward liberal causes through story selection and/or political affiliation. They may utilize strong loaded words (wording that attempts to influence an audience by appealing to emotion or stereotypes), publish misleading reports, and omit information that may damage liberal causes. Some sources in this category may be untrustworthy. See all Left Bias sources.
- Overall, we rate the GroundTruth Project as left-biased based on consistent emphasis on progressive themes such as racial equity, climate justice, and anti-authoritarian framing, particularly in opposition to right-wing political figures. It earns a High factual rating due to transparency, strong sourcing practices, and the absence of failed fact checks.
Detailed Report
Bias Rating: LEFT (-6.0)
Factual Reporting: HIGH (1.8)
Country: USA
MBFC’s Country Freedom Rating: MOSTLY FREE
Media Type: Organization/Foundation
Traffic/Popularity: Minimal Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: HIGH CREDIBILITY
History
The GroundTruth Project is a U.S.-based nonprofit media organization founded in 2014 by journalist Charles Sennott. It focuses on training emerging journalists and producing in-depth public-interest reporting on social justice, climate change, and democracy. According to its About page, the organization grew out of international reporting initiatives at GlobalPost and is now best known for its flagship initiative, Report for America, which places journalists in underserved communities. They are based on Boston, Massachusetts.
Read our profile on the United States media and government.
Funded by / Ownership
The GroundTruth is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. It is funded by a wide range of foundations and donors, disclosed transparently on its Supporters page. Major funders include the Knight Foundation, Ford Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, and Democracy Fund—all known for supporting journalism, civic engagement, and progressive-aligned causes.
Analysis / Bias
The GroundTruth Project publishes deeply reported, narrative-style journalism that emphasizes systemic inequality, racial justice, climate change, and threats to democracy. For instance:
- In “Prepare to Fall Ill: The Climate Crisis Has Come”, the publication uses emotional and urgent language to describe climate change impacts, tying them directly to public health. The piece supports scientific consensus but frames the crisis through a lens of socioeconomic and racial vulnerability, hallmarks of progressive climate discourse.
- The accompanying ArcGIS storymap further highlights health disparities and climate injustice, reinforcing the social justice angle.
- In this article, the site presents critical reflections on Trump’s disinformation strategies and their impact on Black communities, relying heavily on commentary from journalists of color. While the reporting is grounded in legitimate concern over voter suppression, it frames Trump and his allies almost entirely negatively.
The site explicitly promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion as core editorial and operational values, outlined on their Mission page. This influences both the selection and framing of stories.
Despite this bias, GroundTruth articles are well-researched, often include interviews with named sources, and cite expert opinion.
Failed Fact Checks
- None in the Last 5 years
Overall, we rate the GroundTruth Project as left-biased based on consistent emphasis on progressive themes such as racial equity, climate justice, and anti-authoritarian framing, particularly in opposition to right-wing political figures. It earns a High factual rating due to transparency, strong sourcing practices, and the absence of failed fact checks. (D. Van Zandt 04/15/2025)
Source: https://thegroundtruthproject.org/
Last Updated on April 15, 2025 by Media Bias Fact Check
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Left vs. Right Bias: How we rate the bias of media sources