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 The Setonian as Left-Center Biased for its progressive framing and advocacy evident in its opinion pieces on national political and social issues. We also rate it as High Factual because its straight news reporting is clearly sourced, transparent, and focused on verifiable campus and local matters, with no record of failed fact checks.
Detailed Report
Bias Rating: LEFT-CENTER (-2.4)
Factual Reporting: HIGH (1.0)
Country: USA
MBFC’s Country Freedom Rank: MOSTLY FREE
Media Type: Newspaper
Traffic/Popularity: Minimal Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: HIGH CREDIBILITY
History
The Setonian is the official undergraduate student newspaper of Seton Hall University. According to its About page, the publication serves the Seton Hall community and surrounding area by delivering news “with integrity, honesty and urgency.” The Setonian publishes throughout the academic year, excluding exam and holiday breaks, and is a member of the New Jersey Press Association. The paper operates from Seton Hall University’s campus in South Orange, New Jersey, and provides campus news, features, sports, and opinion content on its main site, The Setonian.
Read our profile on the United States media and government.
Funded by / Ownership
The Setonian is owned and operated by Seton Hall University as its official undergraduate newspaper. While specific budgetary details are not disclosed on the site, student newspapers of this type are typically funded through university allocations, student activity fees, and limited advertising. Editorial staff and contact information are publicly listed on the publication’s About page, indicating a transparent, campus-based ownership structure.
Analysis / Bias
The Setonian functions primarily as a campus and local news outlet, with the majority of its reporting focused on university affairs, student life, and athletics. Straight news coverage, such as “Corrigan Hall’s first floor to undergo renovation for new laboratory, instructional spaces”, relies heavily on official university press releases, named administrators, and verifiable funding details.
However, the publication’s opinion section demonstrates a clear left-of-center editorial perspective on national political and social issues. This is evident in “Truth, according to Trump: When criticism becomes a crime”, which uses strong language to characterize a White House media initiative as authoritarian and draws parallels to Russia and Hungary. The piece is openly argumentative, relies primarily on moral framing, and does not meaningfully engage with counterarguments, consistent with progressive opinion writing.
A similar ideological framing appears in “Banning of transgender athletes is only evidence of how little we value women’s sports”, which advances a socially progressive position on transgender participation in sports and frames conservative policies as discriminatory. While the article presents contextual arguments and statistics, it remains one-sided and advocacy-oriented, reinforcing a Left-Center bias within the opinion section.
Failed Fact Checks
- None in the Last 5 years
Overall, we rate The Setonian as Left-Center Biased for its progressive framing and advocacy evident in its opinion pieces on national political and social issues. We also rate it as High Factual because its straight news reporting is clearly sourced, transparent, and focused on verifiable campus and local matters, with no record of failed fact checks. (D. Van Zandt 12/21/2025)
Source: https://www.thesetonian.com/
Last Updated on December 21, 2025 by Media Bias Fact Check
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Left vs. Right Bias: How we rate the bias of media sources