Salon – Bias and Credibility

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 using appeal 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 Salon Left Biased based on story selection that strongly favors the left and endorsements of political positions affiliated with the Democratic Party. We also rate them Mixed for factual reporting due to occasionally utilizing sources poor sources and failed fact checks.

Detailed Report

Bias Rating: LEFT
Factual Reporting: MIXED
Country: USA
Press Freedom Rank: MOSTLY FREE
Media Type: Website
Traffic/Popularity: High Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: MEDIUM CREDIBILITY

History

Founded in 1995, Salon is a progressive/liberal news and opinion website created by David Talbot. Salon publishes articles on U.S. politics, culture, and current events and has a left-leaning editorial stance. The current editor is Andrew O’Hehir.

Read our profile on the United States government and media.

Funded by / Ownership

Salon is owned by the Salon Media Group and is funded through periodic cash infusions from John Warnock and William Hambrecht. Revenue is generated through online advertising and subscription fees for exclusive content and sales from the marketplace.

Analysis / Bias

In review, Salon focuses on U.S. politics and current affairs. Story selection almost always favors the left, and there is the frequent use of loaded emotional language such as this: What campus free speech? Arizona case shows how far the right will go to stifle dissent. Like most on Salon, this story is properly sourced to credible media such as the New York Times and the Arizona Republic and occasionally uses sources that have failed fact checks such as The Guardian and Wikileaks. Salon also publishes health and science news that is scientifically based.

Editorially, Salon utilizes strong wording that is anti-right in a tone such as this: Donald Trump is running for president as a flat-out racist. Further, they do not clearly label opinion pieces which can be misleading.

It was revealed by numerous media outlets, including the left-leaning CNN, that Salon waited one year to correct a fact related to Ron DeSantis. See failed fact check below.

Failed Fact Checks

• “Looks like Sheriff David Clarke’s ‘army’ medals might be B.S.” – False
• Gov. Ron DeSantis “just signed legislation requiring students, faculty, and staff at Florida’s public universities and colleges to register their political views with the state.” – False

Overall, we rate Salon Left Biased based on story selection that strongly favors the left and endorsements of political positions affiliated with the Democratic Party. We also rate them Mixed for factual reporting due to occasionally utilizing poor sources and failed fact checks. (D. Van Zandt 5/15/2016) Updated (07/12/2022)

Source: https://www.salon.com