OnTheWight – Bias and Credibility

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LEFT-CENTER BIAS

History

OnTheWight, launched initially as VentnorBlog in September 2005, was later rebranded to reflect broader coverage beyond Ventnor. It has become a prominent independent news source for the Isle of Wight, known for its comprehensive reporting on local issues, community events, and important developments.

Read our profile on UK government influence on media.

Funded by / Ownership

OnTheWight is published by On The Wight Ltd., led by Sally and Simon Perry. The site generates revenue through advertising and reader donations.  

Analysis / Bias

OnTheWight covers a variety of topics related to the Isle of Wight community. Their reporting includes local news, events, politics, and community issues. For instance, they emphasize community-focused stories, like the collaboration between Tesco and Isle of Wight residents for a food allergy awareness campaign. Further, they provide detailed reports on local infrastructure projects, such as the “Southern Water details £21.5 million investment in Isle of Wight infrastructure over five years.”

Additionally, they publish reports such as “Bonchurch Landslide: Leeson Road – Comprehensive Report from Public Meeting,” which covers a public meeting discussing a landslide in Bonchurch, Isle of Wight, affecting Leeson Road. The report includes detailed accounts from officials and residents about the causes, impacts, and potential solutions for the landslide. Key points include concerns about road safety, infrastructure damage, and proposed measures to prevent future incidents. The article aims to summarize the meeting thoroughly, reflecting community involvement and local government responses. It is informative and focused on local issues, presenting facts and statements from the meeting without noticeable bias.

In contrast, their political coverage can show bias in wording and framing. For example, the article “Letter: HS2 – A casualty of Brexit or Tory mismanagement?” suggests a critical view of Brexit and the Conservative Party. The title and content use terms like “casualty” and “mismanagement,” which carry negative connotations and imply a failure on the part of the government. The framing directs readers to consider Brexit and the Conservative administration as primary reasons for the HS2 project’s difficulties without presenting counterarguments or diverse perspectives indicating a left-leaning bias, focusing on political critique rather than a balanced analysis.

In conclusion, OnTheWight demonstrates a mix of neutral reporting on community and infrastructure topics and comprehensive and factual reporting on local issues while occasionally exhibiting left-leaning bias in its political coverage.

Failed Fact Checks

• None in the Last 5 years

Overall, we rate OnTheWight as Left-Center biased due to their occasional use of biased wording and framing in political coverage. We rate them High for factual reporting due to their comprehensive and well-sourced articles on community topics and a clean fact-check record. (M. Huitsing 05/25/2024) Updated (02/05/2026)

Source: https://onthewight.com/

Last Updated on February 5, 2026 by Media Bias Fact Check

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