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 very 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 Lenta.ru as Right-Center Biased and Questionable due to state propaganda promotion and government censorship. This assessment is based on the content and tone of their articles, as well as their history and ownership structure.
Detailed Report
Reasoning: Propaganda, Poor Sources, Censorship
Bias Rating: RIGHT-CENTER
Factual Reporting: MIXED
Country: Russia
MBFC’s Country Freedom Rating: TOTAL OPPRESSION
Media Type: Website
Traffic/Popularity: High Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: LOW CREDIBILITY
History
Lenta.ru is a prominent Russian-language pro-government media outlet based in Moscow. Lenta.ru is known for its comprehensive domestic and international news coverage. The outlet has seen significant editorial shifts, especially after a leadership change in 2014, leading to concerns about increasing censorship and alignment with Kremlin views. On May 9, 2022, Lenta.ru briefly published articles critically addressing the war in Ukraine and Russian authorities, diverging from its usual content, which was quickly replaced but remains archived, highlighting a rare instance of dissent within the platform.
Read our profile on Russian media and government.
Funded by / Ownership
Lenta.ru is owned by Rambler Media Group, a subsidiary of Sberbank, one of Russia’s largest state-owned banks. Revenue is generated through ads.
Analysis / Bias
Lenta.ru tends to align with government narratives, particularly on issues sensitive to Russian state interests. For example, the article “Anxiety in Berlin and London: Russia Considered Capable of Tracking Western Missile Shipments to Ukraine” reflects Lenta.ru’s alignment with government narratives, particularly on sensitive state interests. It discusses leaked conversations revealing how Western missiles are transported to Ukraine, potentially aiding Russian intelligence.
Similarly, an article titled “Joe Biden is at the center of a scandal due to memory problems” discusses concerns over US President Biden’s cognitive abilities, citing an official document that describes Biden as “an elderly man with good intentions and a weak memory.”
On the contrary, the article’s portrayal of Trump as confident against “a crumbling president” and his strategic moves within the Republican party, as illustrated by the statement, “Donald Trump, however, doesn’t seem too worried about this and is hoping to win comfortably against a crumbling president,” suggests a narrative that favors Trump over Biden. This coverage aligns with Lenta.ru’s tendency to publish content that could reflect a right-leaning bias that aligns with government narratives.
Failed Fact Checks
- None by a third-party fact checker; however they are heavily censored.
Overall, we rate Lenta.ru as Right-Center Biased and Questionable due to state propaganda promotion and government censorship. This assessment is based on the content and tone of their articles, as well as their history and ownership structure. (M. Huitsing 03/04/2024)
Source: https://lenta.ru/
Last Updated on March 4, 2024 by Media Bias Fact Check
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