TRT World – Bias and Credibility

These media sources are moderate 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 reporting that may damage conservative causes. Some sources in this category may be untrustworthy. See all Right Bias sources.

• Overall, we rate TRT World mixed for factual reporting due to a strong one-sided pro-government stance in national politics and right-biased due to the fact that the current government is considered right-wing.

Detailed Report

Bias Rating: RIGHT
Factual Reporting: MIXED
Country: Turkey
MBFC’s Country Freedom Rating: LIMITED FREEDOM
Media Type: TV Station
Traffic/Popularity: Medium Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: MEDIUM CREDIBILITY

History

Launched in 2015, TRT World is a 24-hour international English-language news channel based in Istanbul, Turkey.

TRT World produces programs and provides national and international news and current affairs and broadcasts them on television, radio, and the Internet. TRT World states in their own words: “Since the course of 2002, Turkey has become an increasingly significant country both as a regional and global actor. This period of stability, development, and strong international relations has led to the natural emergence of TRT World.”

Ibrahim Eren is the director-general of Turkish Radio and Television (TRT).  Riyaad Minty is listed as Manager of Digital Strategy.

Read our profile on Turkey’s government’s influence on media.

Funded by / Ownership

TRT World is owned by the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation, which the government of Turkey owns.

Analysis / Bias

In 2021, Reporters Without Borders ranked Turkey 153rd in the world for press freedom among 180 countries. According to Reporters Without Borders, “The witch hunt waged by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government against its media critics has come to a head since an abortive coup in July 2016. A state of emergency has allowed the authorities to eliminate dozens of media outlets with the stroke of a pen, reducing pluralism to a handful of low-circulated and targeted publications.”

In review, when reporting non-Turkey-related news, TRT World reports with minimally loaded language and utilizes credible sources such as Vox, Moscow Times, NY Times, Washington Post, Tass and republishes credible news agencies such as Reuters.

TRT World reflects a pro-government tone in its national coverage, as seen through its analysis of the upcoming elections. Most national coverage heavily sided with the ruling party and less coverage of the main opposition party candidate. Further, the UK’s Spectator states TRT World is “President Erdogan’s mouthpiece to woo the west.” In short, this is a pro-government propaganda source.

Although TRT World presents relatively low biased coverage of USA news, such as “Trump cancels summit with Kim; North Korea still wants talks,” they source through large blocks of quotes without providing any links to the sources.

Failed Fact Checks

• Several media reports claim that Robots will recite Quran, deliver sermons and Azaan in Mecca. – False

Overall, we rate TRT World mixed for factual reporting due to a strong one-sided pro-government stance in national politics and right-biased due to the fact that the current government is considered right-wing. (M. Huitsing 5/25/2018) Updated (09/17/2022)

Source: https://www.trtworld.com