LEAST BIASED
These sources have minimal bias and use very few loaded words (wording that attempts to influence an audience by appeals to emotion or stereotypes). The reporting is factual and usually sourced. These are the most credible media sources. See all Least Biased Sources.
- Overall, we rate Yle News Least Biased based on the minimal editorializing of news. We also rate them Mostly Factual in reporting rather than High due to rarely using hyperlinked sourcing when referencing information from other sources.
Detailed Report
Bias Rating: LEAST BIASED
Factual Reporting: MOSTLY FACTUAL
Country: Finland
Press Freedom Rating: EXCELLENT
Media Type: TV Station/Radio/Website
Traffic/Popularity: High Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: HIGH CREDIBILITY
History
Founded in 1999, Yle is Finland’s national public service broadcasting company, and Yle News is the English-language news department. Its headquarter is in Helsinki, Finland.
According to its about page, Yle News provides “comprehensive English-language coverage about Finland for television, radio and online audiences.” Further, it features domestic stories about Finland. Yle operates four national TV channels, six radio stations, and internet service.
Read our profile on Finland’s media and government.
Funded by / Ownership
Yle is a Public Broadcaster (limited company) mainly owned by the Finnish state and financed through TV fee revenues.
Analysis / Bias
In review, when covering national news, they use neutral language in their headlines, such as this “Marin: We have to put an end to Russian travel and tourism.” Throughout the article, they cover what Prime Minister Marin says about the matter, presenting factual information. However, the article links to multiple reports published by Yle News, and each piece has other numerous articles written as the story unfolds, such as: “Finland further tightens restrictions on Russian tourist visas“; “Border Guard notes uptick in Russians entering Finland on Wednesday, and “Russia incapable of general mobilization, Finnish military expert says.” In other words, they are all one article published separately to increase page views.
They also publish news that promotes Finland, such as “Nearly everyone in Finland reads newspapers, survey finds.” A quote from the article reads, “Ninety-five percent of people in Finland aged 15 and over read newspapers, according to a new survey from the National Media Audit (KMT). That proportion equates to more than 4.1 million people who regularly do so.” However, although the surveying agency was mentioned, they did not provide a hyperlink, making it difficult for the reader to verify the claim.
When covering international news about the USA, they report positively on the Biden administration Niinistö: Biden election signals US ‘return to the table’ in international community. Further, they occasionally rely on the Associated Press in articles such as this AP: Melania Trump to accompany her husband on trip to Finland.
Finally, a Reuters Institute Digital News Report indicates that Yle News is the most trusted media source in Finland. Generally, the news is reported with minimal bias and appears to be factual. Despite never failing a fact-check, the lack of external sourcing makes it difficult to verify claims.
Failed Fact Checks
- None in the Last 5 years
Overall, we rate Yle News Least Biased based on the minimal editorializing of news. We also rate them Mostly Factual in reporting rather than High due to rarely using hyperlinked sourcing when referencing information from other sources. (M. Huitsing 09/23/2022)
Source: https://yle.fi/news
Last Updated on September 23, 2022 by Media Bias Fact Check
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