So what would you say is the least biased/most neutral news channel/app/paper?

[BOOooOOooOObsOnTheMoon]

Just musing after a discussion with my (autistic, if that's relevant to why I'm putting so much thought into it!) teenager who is doing some work on bias in English at school. We chatted about news outlets and bias over breakfast and the conclusion we came to was that it's best to use a few different news outlets (and not just ones you always agree with!) and to be mindful of who owns them and what their bias might be.

But it made me wonder... I check the Guardian app every morning over my first coffee, though I do also have the Al Jazeera app on my phone for a second perspective. I rarely put the TV news on but if I was going to I'd probably automatically go for the BBC, or possibly Al Jazeera if it was a global news story rather than a UK-centric one. I do listen to a lot of Radio 4 and when I had babies awake a night a lot of World Service which I loved and should probably try and listen to more! I read all sorts of news articles if I see them linked on FB or MN and they pique my interest, regardless of outlet (I say that but in reality I'm not wasting my time on Daily Star clickbait for example). I try not to exist in a bubble and to read things I don't agree with or don't like the angle of because I think it's important to challenge my own thinking.

But what is the best way to get a balanced take on the news? Is it to go for a variety of outlets, or is there one that is reliably less biased than the rest? What do other MNers do to try and get a balanced view of what's going on?

The one that agrees with my feelings obviously. 🤣

Not one. Many.

From The Telegraph to The Guardian. Cast your net wide.

Agree with "many".

Before all the pay walls I would happily read the telegraph purely for the quality of the journalism, even though I disagreed with some of the viewpoint.

Agree with above read/listen to them all.
From apple to ITV and even smaller followings of Narvara and GMB.
Listen to what everyone is saying, as you said you do even if you hate it. It seems you do that anyway op.

Thanks all. So there isn't a single source out there that could be considered the most reliable, for those who eg can't face reading multiple reports or don't have that sort of time available?

BBC. People grumble about it but it’s still the best and most committed to being unbiased, as is reflected in the fact that both right and left seem to think it’s biased against them.

In reply to diarylouise, Not since the Tories threatened them and put their cronies in!

Good question op, I really wish there was one news source which gave you the facts not their opinions. I have tried reading a variety of news sources but they tend to give you totally opposing views so I am none the wiser.

The Spectator.
Definitely not the BBC

Channel 4 news is the best news programme. I think you do need to use multiple papers though. I read the Guardian & the Times mostly.

Sky News, astonishingly, has often been quite balanced. The BBC? Absolutely not any more. The Independent is now Russian owned and I have to bear that in mind now if I read it...

As others have said, you need a range. It's always interesting to compare foreign sources with UK based media. What we think of ourselves is not what the rest of the world thinks.

Not the BBC

Read a range, take into account bias as you do

Just thought of one actually - Private Eye. Only slightly tongue in cheek. Not unbiased but balanced, if they think someone or something is btsht they'll cover it, with a veneer of satire that doesn't alter the facts of the story...

I've always found The Spectator rabidly right wing and the New Statesman rabidly left wing.

You can often deduce a lot from who owns the publication or channel but currently there are far more right wing outlets in the UK than left or centre. The overall editorial stance has moved more in this direction since 2010.

Yes to foreign sources although obviously unless you speak another language you're limited to ones that produce the same content in English! That's why I try and read/watch Al Jazeera from time to time. Interestingly my mum speaks another European language fluently (she lived there for many years) and on one of her recent visits there she told me about a lengthy article in their major news magazine that was absolutely excoriating about Tory Britain and it's levels of corruption and inhumane policies, far more scathing than anything you'd see in the UK press! She's promised to read it out it in English for me next time we see each other.

😂

Model Engineer Magazine
Sheep Breeder’s Monthly
Clay Craft

Second Private Eye.

BBC is hated by both left and right wings of politics, because they both see it as biassed, so perhaps it's doing something right.

I think Channel 4 News is rather better though - deeper content (BBC has become a bit "tabloid" of late, and features more entertainment news at the expense of other output)

Reuters

Agree re: Private Eye. But generally, read widely. All sources have their biases - even more so now the business model for MSM has been upended by the internet and easy access. Most decent investigative journalists have moved to Substack.

If I only have time for one news source, the bbc is the best option. They are neutral by statute, yes there's issues with being too balanced, plus you can simply not show a story but taking all into consideration it's pretty good.

The guardian definitely leans towards one side but it's fairer than most print media. Telegraph & times lean the other way but again try to remain middling on most issues.

I'd suggest the FT too - it doesn't cover everything obviously, & a lot is geared towards business & finance; but it's global news is very good.