Chronicle Live
Bias and Reliability

Policy and Issue Framing

When covering local happenings, Chronicle Live often publishes articles on recent criminal behavior and information on the roads. This aligns with its Center bias, as the information is not colored with any bias. Similarly, coverage of updates in schools or crime only includes the facts, with very brief instances of opinion.

Chronicle Live speaks at length about the state of the roads in the North East, touching often on infrastructure investments. There are several Chronicle Live articles that highlight the importance of these investments for the public’s well-being. On crime, many articles cover incidents across the North East of England. Some articles inform the public of the debate surrounding police funding, especially with the number of articles written about criminal acts.

The majority of the news that Chronicle Live writes about is relatively negative, even if the article contains no bias. News about crime and traffic accidents is common, and these are not especially positive. The writing itself is entirely unbiased, yet there may be a slight sway towards a poor perception of Northeast news. This can also be seen within its media bias page, where it is revealed that its politician portrayal is 91% negative.

Coverage and Relevance

Chronicle Live’s reporting often touches on key issues central to the media political bias discussion. As such, it serves as a compelling case study for examining source bias and news media bias in regional reporting.

The North East of England houses a very diverse group of people, and the news Chronicle Live presents strives to respect all points of view. Issues central to the North East are things like crime, travel/traffic, and politics. An analysis of bias within these is important to know whether the news one reads can be trusted. In this analysis, we will explore whether Chronicle Live provides high-quality news without biased media narratives to its audience.

Readers who wish to further explore how Chronicle Live compares with other publications can visit Biasly’s Media Bias Chart to analyze tone and word choice in real time.

According to Biasly’s media bias analysis, Chronicle Live has an average of 15,350,000 monthly visits. When it comes to media bias, both AI and media analysts have evaluated its content, sources, and funding to determine its political leaning.

As a leading local media outlet in Northeast England, Chronicle Live plays a significant role in informing the public. Readers’ trust in the accuracy of local news may mirror the conclusions reached by Biasly’s media bias ratings. This article delves into Chronicle Live’s editorial tendencies to explore whether political bias is present and, if so, to what degree.

Is Chronicle Live Biased?

Based on Biasly’s evaluations, Chronicle Live is rated as Center.

By examining content patterns and the broader context of media influence, we aim to offer a balanced perspective on Chronicle Live’s political bias—and contribute to the ongoing discussion about bias in the news.

How Does Biasly Rate News Sources?

Biasly uses proprietary algorithms and a team of analysts to provide comprehensive bias evaluations across thousands of news outlets. Over 200,000 articles from more than 3,200 sources have been analyzed to identify the most accurate and unbiased stories.

Biasly assigns each outlet three key scores:

• Reliability Score – Reflects factual accuracy
• AI Bias Score – Generated via natural language processing
• Analyst Bias Score – Assessed by human political analysts

These scores are based on seven core metrics: Tone, Tendency, Diction, Author Check, Selection/Omission, Expediency Bias, and Accuracy. These elements help analysts and algorithms evaluate the political attitude conveyed by each article.

Biasly’s Bias Meter ranges from -100% (most left) to +100% (most right), with 0% indicating neutrality. The system evaluates individual articles based on political terms, policies, figures, and sentiment to calculate precise bias ratings.

Is Chronicle Live Politically Biased?

Chronicle Live earns Center rating for its AI Bias Score and Center for its Analyst Bias Score. The Analyst Bias Score is generated by reviewers from liberal, moderate, and conservative backgrounds. Analysts reviewed Chronicle Live articles and noted a staunch commitment to remaining unbiased. Many of the articles do not have any significant bias, even if the overall spotlight is on more negative situations.

For example, when speaking about criminal actions at the local level, the reporting is quite unbiased. This contributes to Chronicle Live’s Center rating, as it does not sway in either direction.

A report gives an example of Chronicle Live’s unbiased writing:

“Recorder Ciaran Rankin sentenced him to 12 months suspended for two years with rehabilitation and alcohol abstinence requirements as well as £50 compensation for the headphones.”

The group of people that Chronicle Live writes for sits on the center-left of the UK’s political spectrum. As of 2024, the Labour Party is the dominant one in the region, which lends the North East its reputation for leaning left. Despite Chronicle Live’s adherence to maintaining journalistic standards, its public may lean in one direction and interpret the articles as such.

This Bias score is determined through natural language processing that evaluates the tone, word choice, and opinion embedded in the reporting.

Analysis of Bias in Chronicle Live Online Articles

Chronicle Live has found that in-depth coverage of North East England’s politics and dilemmas is one of the most effective ways to drive subscriptions. Given that much of its readership is Newcastle-based, where regional issues take precedence, it’s essential to ask: is Chronicle Live truly biased?

To evaluate this, we can analyze select Chronicle Live articles through several of Biasly’s bias rating criteria: Tone, Tendency, Author, Diction, and Expediency Bias.

• Tone: The overall attitude conveyed by the article
• Diction: Specific word choices made by the writer
• Author: The background and social presence of the journalist
• Tendency: Patterns of bias in the writer’s broader body of work
• Expediency Bias: Quick visual or textual indicators like headlines and photos that imply bias

Source: Chronicle Live

One such article is the one with the headline above. The title and subtitle use strong negative language like “won’t be delivered” and “huge underspends” to drive people’s attention to this article. The article itself is incredibly unbiased, and it gives people the space to think what they will. The negative headline likely resonates with its center-left audience.

Reporter Daniel Holland explains the issue with the North East transport upgrades and how they are not going to be fulfilled. Vicki Gilbert, the chair of North East Public Transport Users, is quoted frequently. Her perspective is negative, which may sway public opinion on this issue, even if the situation is presented as objectively as possible. An example of her quotes is:

“…the money had the potential to transform the lives of public transport users.”

“It is hugely frustrating for bus passengers that this money sits unspent, whether this is due to a lack of political will or failure to appreciate the transformative potential of these BSIP schemes.”

The article is facts-based, but the way that the quotes are shown may indicate a more negative tone. Within the article, there is no opinion in any of the written sections, however. Only by the headline and the Chair of Transportation’s quotes is a little bit of bias seen, but it is not at all throughout the entire article.

Another example of a balanced article is “North East institution named university of the year by Times and Sunday Times” by David Huntley. Similar to the last article, this one gives the information clearly and concisely, awarding the audience the freedom to agree or disagree on their own terms. A case where this is seen is here:

“The University’s high score in the student experience category is testament to the huge range of opportunities open to students beyond academia, including 700 college sports teams, 80 music societies and more than 300 student societies.”

The article uses formal language, which helps to bolster its audience’s trust in the article. There is no usage of any colloquial phrasing, and the data from the Sunday Times and Times is a very straightforward presentation. It has a very even-handed tone, which contributes to its Center rating.

To sum it up, Chronicle Live shows consistent objectivity in its reporting. Both Holland’s and Huntley’s articles are very factual and very neutral. The quotations afford each article even more viewer trust. There is a strong tendency to remain even-handed when presenting facts.

Analysis of Chronicle Live Opinion Articles

To fully understand political bias in the media, it’s important to distinguish between factual reporting and opinion pieces. While reporting aims to present facts and let readers form their own conclusions, opinion articles express personal viewpoints on current issues. Although the previous section examined factual reporting, this section turns to how bias surfaces through Chronicle Live’s selection and tone of opinion content.

There is a definite absence of opinionated articles within Chronicle Live’s catalogue. On Biasly’s media bias page, some of Chronicle Live’s more recent articles were analyzed. A good example of a slightly more opinionated one is “Labour clings on to win North Tyneside Mayoral election by less than 500 votes”, which Biasly rated as having a Somewhat Left Leaning bias. This would be because of phrases like “sparking a Labour contest”, which lend this article a more prominent bias. It still absolutely adheres to Chronicle Live’s commitment of remaining impartial, but it does so a little less than other articles.

This shows that while Chronicle Live rarely publishes opinion pieces, occasional fragments of bias appear. This consistent selection of unbiased pieces can contribute to the public’s high level of trust, particularly those who live in the North East and are very centered on its politics.

Who Owns Chronicle Live?

Chronicle Live operates as a for-profit business, despite its articles not being locked behind a paywall. According to their website, the current team is made up of six people. The highest position is that of Regional Head of Print, currently held by Matt McKenzie.

Chronicle Live is a sister source of The Journal, and The Journal’s current editor is Graeme Whitfield, as also shown through the website. Chronicle Live holds its journalists to a high Editorial Code of Practice, which “sets the benchmark for ethical journalistic standards”. Their staff also goes through rigorous monthly training in areas like video, social media, and SEO tactics, in addition to their daily work as reporters.

These characteristics serve to further build public trust in Chronicle Live, allowing for more readers and garnering more website traffic.

How to Evaluate Bias

Although Biasly rates Chronicle Live as Center, it’s important to remember that bias can vary from article to article. Chronicle Live’s articles have a high degree of neutrality, although there may still be brief instances of bias. This complexity underscores the importance of examining each article individually. So, let’s learn how to evaluate media bias.

Recognizing media bias requires awareness and critical thinking. Often, readers trust news sources that affirm their existing beliefs, a psychological tendency known as confirmation bias. This makes it harder to identify slanted narratives or one-sided reporting.

To combat this, it’s essential to challenge your assumptions by consulting multiple viewpoints and verifying news through third-party analysis. Tools like Biasly’s media bias ratings allow readers to compare the same news story across the political spectrum.

Ultimately, bias isn’t always a matter of what is said, it’s also about what is left out, how topics are framed, and which stories are chosen for coverage. Learning to recognize these patterns can help readers make more informed decisions and develop greater media literacy.

To start comparing news outlets and gain a better understanding of bias, sign up for Biasly’s Media Bias & News Analytics Platform to see how stories vary between sources.

So How Does Chronicle Live Fare in Its Reliability?

The political reliability index developed by Biasly assesses both accuracy and trustworthiness. Chronicle Live currently holds Average Reliability Score, which is calculated as a weighted average of:

• Fact Analysis Score – Evaluates the accuracy of claims, facts, and evidence.
• Source Analysis Score – Assesses the number, diversity, and credibility of sources and quotes used.

Chronicle Live’s Source Analysis Score is Average at 42% Reliable. This suggests moderate trustworthiness in its sourcing practices. The score is AI-generated and considers quote length, frequency, diversity, and quality.

The Fact Analysis Score is yet to be finalized. This score will further determine how well the Tribune supports its claims, addresses selection and omission bias, and presents verifiable evidence. Until this is available, readers are encouraged to perform their own evaluations using Biasly’s media bias tools.

While Chronicle Live leans toward factual reporting, occasional lapses, such as unbalanced viewpoints or incomplete data, can affect its reliability rating. These nuances emphasize the importance of analyzing individual articles.

Chronicle Live’s Accuracy and Reliability

According to Biasly’s analysis, Chronicle Live maintains Average Reliability Score, but individual articles may vary significantly. Let’s dive into the details.

Political orientation plays a crucial role in how audiences perceive reliability. Chronicle Live’s audience, after the recent elections, is governed by a center-left party called the Labour Party. This may also be affecting the way that Chronicle Live’s articles are comprehended. To validate such claims, it’s essential to analyze whether the publication backs its assertions with sufficient evidence and diverse viewpoints.

Two common types of bias that affect factuality include:

• Selection Bias – Highlighting or omitting stories to fit a particular narrative.
• Omission Bias – Leaving out differing perspectives or relevant details to skew perception.

Biasly’s accuracy ratings use a scale from 1% (least accurate) to 100% (most accurate). Factors include the presence of supporting evidence, internal and external reliable sources, and balanced viewpoints.

For instance, Biasly gave Reuters a Center Bias and a Good Analyst Reliability Score. One Reuters article, titled “Philippines central bank tightens rules on large cash withdrawals amid corruption crackdown”, showed an Average reliability rating for failing to include opposite sources and multiple quotes. Within the article, there is only one quote. While this quote is still from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the lack of any other quotes – and quotes opinionating against what has transpired – gives it an Average reliability rate.

In contrast, another piece from the outlet, titled “Trump and Xi make progress on TikTok deal, plan to meet in South Korea”, featuring several more quotes and varying viewpoints, was rated as Somewhat Right and also scored Average for accuracy. The most significant language opposing liberal views here belongs to a Chinese citizen, who does not agree with the current United States policies regarding China. Nicoco Chan reported from Shanghai:

“I don’t really believe the U.S. wants a ‘win-win’ situation,” said Lin Jinqi, 22. “t seems like (the U.S.) just wants to be the boss.”

“So in many areas, they deliberately set up obstacles for China,” he said. “We don’t go looking for trouble, but we’re not afraid of it either.”

We will take a closer look at more examples like this below to provide a further investigation into the reliability of Chronicle Live’s articles. This will include its use of selection bias, omission bias, and the quality of its sources and the facts it uses.

Quality of Sources and Facts Used

Chronicle Live often uses credible sources from across the political spectrum. The facts it uses are often sourced from primary sources, such as court cases or directly from the people involved. These help viewership trust in Chronicle Live to remain high.

The article “Inside Newcastle cannabis factory where man was sleeping on bed in kitchen” is a good example of how balanced Chronicle Live’s articles tend to be. The situation is well documented and supported by legal references, and the article accurately explains what has so far happened with Alden Zefe, who was growing cannabis plants at that house. There is no opinion at all within the article, and no perspectives either advocating or criticising Zefe. The only thing that is explained is how he was detained, that he was found guilty, and speculations about what could possibly happen after.

Another article that also upholds this balance is “Why paramedics and police officers were at a Newcastle city pub today”. This article goes into detail about what occurred at a Newcastle city pub, and why there were officers. It explains that one person was taken to the infirmary, and does not yet give an official reason for the incident. This article includes several quotations from varied sources. These quotations are also presented without bias, even if they are topics that may be alarming for some. An example of such a quote is the following:

“We were called to an incident on Clayton Street, Newcastle shortly after 12pm this afternoon, 8 October.”

This article’s credibility also stems from the number of quotations it uses— 2, and several links. These quotations strengthen reliability by providing context from a trusted source, offering readers a more authentic account.

This article features two sources, the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) and the Northumbria Service. The incident occurred at Black Garter pub on Clayton Street. The NEAS and the Northumbria quotes and links provide the audience with the information to make their own decisions.

• North East Ambulance Service
• Northumbria Police

The article primarily relies on primary sources. These sources are mainly quotes from the North East Ambulance Service, in which parts from the official report are pulled. These are highly valid and enhance the article’s reliability, given its focus on what happened at the Black Garter pub on October 8th.

Selection and Omission Bias

Chronicle Live provides extensive coverage of issues and happenings in North East England, as its readership is based primarily there. Even though Chronicle Live is known for writing very unbiased articles, there is still a possibility of occasional opinionated writing getting people’s attention.

In “Hundreds in North East ‘needlessly die’ while waiting for lifesaving transplant according to news NHS figures”, selection bias surfaces through only highlighting the negative aspect of the situation, that many are ‘needlessly dying’ because there are enough organs to transplant. The article does not explore positive initiatives in the field of organ transplantation/donation. Still, it remains rooted in verifiable quotes.

The article does not highlight any proactive or positive measures taken by medical professionals in this field. The author addresses the looming threat of not having enough organs to give to transplant patients, which is an incredibly reasonable fear. Yet it does not explore broader perspectives or offer a positive story to counteract the stress created by the original article. That said, the reporting does not cross into overt editorializing and is still grounded in verifiable facts and quotes.

In these pieces, issues with factuality, sources, selection, and omission are very rarely present. The articles we’ve covered so far reflect Chronicle Live’s Center views, but this is not detrimental to its reliability. The contents of Chronicle Live’s article maintain accuracy and tend to cite evidence from numerous and varied sources.

So, Is Chronicle Live Reliable?

Overall, Chronicle Live can be considered to be an outlet that is moderately reliable. The site often prioritizes news catered only to residents of North East England, with many quotations and brief instances of selection and omission bias on sensitive topics. While claims are often supported with evidence, more quotations from varied/opposite sources can be used to further improve viewer trust.

As media literacy improves, readers can more easily detect issues with selection bias, omission bias, and factuality. To strengthen your ability to assess reliability across the political spectrum, use the News Bias Checker to compare how multiple outlets report the same story.

This empowers you to consume more accurate, balanced, and dependable news.

Other contributors focus on specific area-by-area coverage, local politics, or traffic and travel—topics central to North East England communities. Their work is generally grounded in factual reporting. The presence of recurring bylines helps readers evaluate individual journalists’ bias over time.

Related Tools and Resource Pages

To better understand how Chronicle Live fits into the broader media landscape, we recommend exploring these helpful resources:

• Media Bias Chart: See where Chronicle Live ranks among hundreds of media outlets across the political spectrum.
• Political Bias Chart: Visualize political slants of news sources across various policy areas.
• Journalist Bias Analytics Platform: Explore how individual journalists contribute to bias within their publications.
• Politician Bias Analytics Platform: Compare how politicians are framed differently by Chronicle Live and other outlets.
• Media Literacy Education Platform: Learn how to critically assess media sources, bias techniques, and news reliability.