Toronto Sun – Bias and Credibility

These media sources are moderately to strongly biased toward conservative 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 conservative causes. Some sources in this category may be untrustworthy. See all Right Bias sources.

• Overall, we rate the Toronto Sun, Right Biased based on story selection and editorial positions that favor the right and Mixed for factual reporting due to a lack of sourcing and scientific positions that do not align with the scientific consensus.

Detailed Report

Bias Rating: RIGHT
Factual Reporting: MOSTLY FACTUAL
Country: Canada
MBFC’s Country Freedom Rating: EXCELLENT
Media Type: Newspaper
Traffic/Popularity: High Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: HIGH CREDIBILITY

History

The Toronto Sun is a daily newspaper based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

When The Toronto Evening Telegram folded, then foreign correspondent of the telegram, Peter John Vickers Worthington, and former employees founded the Toronto Sun in 1971. Worthington was editor-in-chief at the Sun for 12 years and helped launched the Sun’s sister publication, the Ottawa Sun, in the late 1980s.

The Toronto Sun covers national news, politics, entertainment, sports, and life. The Sun’s sports coverage is typically from the Associated Press, and they also publish a daily Sunshine Girl, similar to British Tabloids.

Read our profile on the Canadian government and media.

Funded by / Ownership

The Toronto Sun is owned by PostMedia, which owns several right-leaning media outlets throughout Canada. According to a report in the left-leaning CanadaLand, PostMedia has directed its publications to be more “reliably conservative.” The newspaper is funded through advertising and subscription fees.

Chatham Asset Management, a New Jersey-based hedge fund, holds a large equity stake in Postmedia and majority ownership of American Media Inc., which owns the National Enquirer. David Pecker, who owns American Media, Inc., joined the Postmedia board and then resigned from the board of Postmedia in 2018 due to his involvement in hush payments on behalf of his “friends,” including President Trump and Harvey Weinstein.

According to the National Observer, PostMedia is in a downward spiral. After Postmedia announced a $1.4M loss for the last quarter of 2018, Paul Godfrey stepped down as CEO of the Postmedia Network and was replaced by Andrew MacLeod as of 1/10/2019. Godfrey will remain as executive chair. Godfrey was also criticized for cutting 800 full-time jobs across Postmedia in 2016 while earning an annual salary of $1.7 million. For a list of directors and upper management, please see here.

Analysis / Bias

In review, the Toronto Sun reports news with emotionally loaded words and right-leaning bias, such as “Trudeau blunders will sink one-term wonder boy.” The Sun also publishes bikini news such as “Will ‘duct-tape’ bikinis make a splash at the beach?” and their daily Sunshine Girls section, which is adapted from British tabloids.

The Sun re-publishes articles from credible sources such as the Associated Press; however, they poorly source their news. When they do, they utilize their sister publications, such as the Calgary Sun, and rarely use hyperlinks.

Editorially, CEO Paul Godfrey ordered all 16 major Postmedia papers, including the Toronto Sun, to endorse Stephen Harper of the Conservative Party in the 2015 federal elections. Further, when it comes to opinion pieces on science, The Sun casts doubt on human-influenced climate change.

Failed Fact Checks

• Black cats in Vietnam are being killed and consumed as a COVID-19 cure. – False

Overall, we rate the Toronto Sun, Right Biased based on story selection and editorial positions that favor the right and Mostly Factual for reporting, rather than High due to a lack of sourcing and scientific positions that do not align with the scientific consensus. (7/28/2016) Updated (M. Huitsing 12/08/2022)