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 Infoplease as left-center biased based on editorial positions that slightly favor the left. We also rate them high for factual reporting due to proper sourcing and a clean fact-check record.
Detailed Report
Bias Rating: LEFT-CENTER
Factual Reporting: HIGH
Country: United Kingdom
Press Freedom Rating: MOSTLY FREE
Media Type: Website
Traffic/Popularity: Medium Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: HIGH CREDIBILITY
History
Founded in 1938 as a radio quiz show, Information Please became an annual almanac before going online in 1998 as a free encyclopedia.
In 2000, Pearson Education acquired the Family Education Network (FEN), which included Infoplease and Fact Monster. At the time, FEN was the biggest homeschool community and had a series of educational websites connected to it. Pearson Education then sold FEN to Sandbox Group in 2015, a London-based company founded by Bhav Singh in 2014 that operates a network of learning businesses, including Fact Monster, CoolMathGames, and PlayKids. Their edutainment products reach over 60 million children, parents, and teachers.
View our profile on UK Media and Government.
Funded by/Ownership
Sandbox Group owns Infoplease, a London-based company founded by Bhav Singh. Infoplease generates revenue from advertising.
Analysis/Bias
While Infoplease is an informational resource providing facts and data on various topics, it also publishes news articles under its “Current Events” section, such as “Alarm In Houston As Dozens Of Migrants Children Reported Missing.” This news story is sourced from Reuters. Others reviewed were sourced from the BBC, The Guardian, and Associated Press.
We examined biographies of various politicians, including Donald Trump, a former right-populist American president; Joseph Biden, the current left-center American president; and Boris Johnson, a former center-right Populist UK prime minister. The Trump article uses negative adjectives like “outspoken” and “flamboyant,” highlighting controversies surrounding him, such as his multiple marriages, divorces, and impeachments. This indicates a negative bias toward the former President.
On the other hand, the Biden article focuses on his political career and accomplishments, with personal information presented more neutrally. The Boris Johnson article is a comprehensive biography but includes negative language and criticism of his character and actions. The author describes Johnson as “silly,” highlighting controversial behavior during his tenure as mayor, including getting stuck on a zip line and insulting world leaders. The article also criticizes his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and his controversial appointment of Chris Pincher accused multiple times of sexual harassment, which is called “the final straw.”
In general, Infoplease is fact-based and relies on credible sources; however, there is a left-leaning editorial bias when providing information on politicians.
Failed Fact Checks
- None in the Last 5 years. They are sometimes used as a resource for fact-checkers.
Overall, we rate Infoplease as left-center biased based on editorial positions that slightly favor the left. We also rate them high for factual reporting due to proper sourcing and a clean fact-check record. (M. Huitsing 04/10/2023)
Source: www.infoplease.com
Last Updated on May 26, 2023 by Media Bias Fact Check
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