Mail & Guardian – Bias and Credibility

LEFT BIAS

These media sources are moderately 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 using appeal to emotion or stereotypes), publish misleading reports, and omit information reporting that may damage liberal causes. Some sources in this category may be untrustworthy. See all Left Bias sources.

Overall, we rate Mail & Guardian Left Biased based on editorial positions that favor the Left. We also rate them mixed for factual reporting due to poor sourcing and several failed fact checks.

Detailed Report

Bias Rating: LEFT
Factual Reporting: MIXED
Country: South Africa
MBFC’s Country Freedom Rating: MOSTLY FREE
Media Type: Website
Traffic/Popularity: Medium Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: MEDIUM CREDIBILITY

History

Founded in 1985, The Mail & Guardian, also known as the M&G, is a South African online newspaper and website. They are based in Johannesburg, South Africa. The Mail & Guardian features breaking news, opinion, analysis, commentary, and entertainment news. They state their core values as “truth, freedom, justice, and equality.” With their aim “to create space for debate and diversity, to defend freedom of expression and to combat racial, political, and religious prejudice.”

Read our profile on South African media and government.

Funded by / Ownership

The Mail & Guardian (M&G) is owned by the New York-based not-for-profit investment fund, Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF). Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) was initially funded by George Soros and the Open Society Foundations South Africa, which funds The Mail & Guardian for its environmental reporting. Advertising and subscription fees generate revenue.

Analysis / Bias

In review, the Mail & Guardian uses strong, emotionally loaded language in their headlines such as “Future of the left in South Africa. Left? What left?” They also are openly critical of some ANC policies and President Ramaphosa. ANC (The African National Congress) is the Republic of South Africa’s governing political party. The political position of ANC is Centre-Left. Here is a quote from the article “The fact is that, even if Ramaphosa were able to magically fix the state-owned enterprises and reduce corruption, we would still be screwed.”

Another article titled “Another one bites the dust: Ntuli quits Democratic Alliance” demonstrates negative reporting toward the Democratic Alliance, a center-right opposition party.

The Mail & Guardian typically sources through quotes and rarely links to other sources in their articles. On US politics, they publish articles with an anti-Trump tone such as here “US needs a gutsy Biden now.” A quote from the article reads, “His despicable moral compass and absence of empathy led him to lampoon the rival Democrat nominee as a senile aging man using the moniker “Sleepy Joe” (despite his own documented slow and halting descent down a ramp).” They tend to utilize credible sources for their world news, such as pewresearch.org, ABC News, Reuters, and BBC. In general, they present with left-leaning editorial bias and are not always factual.

Failed Fact Checks

Tony Leon’s father sentenced Solomon Mahlangu to death – False
There are only 34 female professors in South Africa. – False
A gay baboon terrorized a South African village and raped several men. – False
“the private security industry in South Africa is the largest in the world” – False

Overall, we rate Mail & Guardian Left Biased based on editorial positions that favor the Left. We also rate them mixed for factual reporting due to poor sourcing and several failed fact checks. (M. Huitsing 03/26/2022) Updated (04/02/2024)

Source: https://mg.co.za/

Last Updated on April 2, 2024 by Media Bias Fact Check