Founded on October 14, 1901, by former congressman Marcellus Foster, the Houston Chronicle became one of Texas’s most prominent newspapers. The Houston Chronicle has a diverse readership base, reaching individuals from all over the Houston metropolitan area from different age groups, ethnicities, and socio-economic backgrounds. The Houston Chronicle is more prevalent among millennials than other daily newspapers and is more popular with its male audience than females. Statistica shows that Houston Chronicle readers tend to have more right-leaning political readers.
In this article, we will examine the newspaper’s coverage and editorial choices to identify any potential biases in their articles. By equipping you with these tools, we aim to provide a comprehensive analysis that will help you determine whether a news outlet is biased.
How Does Biasly Rate News Sources?
Biasly’s algorithms produce bias ratings to help provide multiple perspectives on given articles. Biasly has analyzed 200,000+ news articles from more than 3,200 news sources through our A.I. technology and team of political analysts to find the most factual, unbiased news stories.
Biasly determines the degree of political bias in news sources by using Biasly’s Bias Meter Rating, in which Biasly’s team analyzes media sources’ reliability and bias and produces three scores, a Reliability Score that measures the accuracy of media sources; an A.I. Bias Score, evaluated by A.I.; and an Analyst Bias Score evaluated by political analysts. These scores are rated based on seven rating metrics including Tone, Tendency, Diction, Author Check, Selection/Omission, Expediency Bias, and Accuracy. These metrics help our analysts to determine the political attitude of the article.
Our A.I. machine-learning system employs natural language processing and entity-specific sentiment analysis to examine individual articles and determine their bias levels. By analyzing the key terms in an article such as policies, bias phrases, political terminologies, politicians, and their nicknames, the algorithms can rate the attitude of the text. Bias scores range from -100% and 100%, with higher negative scores being more liberal and higher positive scores being more conservative, and 0% being neutral.
Is the Houston Chronicle Politically Biased?
Biasly’s rating for The Houston Chronicle gives the paper a Computer AI Bias Score of Center, a score generated by its AI-based algorithms. Biasly’s AI bias analysis focuses on the leaning of tone, opinion, and diction of the author, and their respective tendencies. For instance, Biasly has rated its stance on policies such as LGBTQ+ Equality and Environmental Regulations as centered. It also covers politicians with varied sentiments such as projecting Andrew Wheeler in a positive light while Bill Clinton is painted in a negative light. These rankings evaluate politicians based on their statements and policy positions rather than their ideological beliefs.
Biasly has not yet assigned an Analyst Bias Score. Typically, alongside the Computer Bias Score, Biasly presents an Analyst Bias Score. This score is curated based on a review of at least 15 articles by a team of analysts representing liberal, moderate, and conservative viewpoints. Different types of bias in articles, preferences for liberal or conservative politicians and policies, all factor into generating these scores. The more articles the Biasly analyst team reviews and rates, the more precise the analyst score becomes.
Before we begin, we need to discuss bias. Bias is a natural function of humans, and we can express it both consciously and unconsciously. Bias is one of the most fundamental forms of pattern recognition in humans. This isn’t to lower the bar and say that “all things are biased,” but to explain the process in which we may come to trust certain news organizations that display patterns of coverage.
On the media’s part, there is an incentive to retain audiences, encourage them to purchase subscriptions, and rate products positively. Bias is a two-way street, people want to see news stories about things they care about, and the media needs viewers to continue their operations. This creates a positive feedback loop that influences what stories are covered and from what perspective. This also explains the actions of more liberal news organizations.
Analysis of Bias in Houston Chronicle Online Articles
As mentioned in the introduction, the Houston Chronicle is a publication that serves a diverse audience with various backgrounds. Its primary readership consists of male Millennials aged 28 to 43, who generally have a college degree, a high income, and more conservative political views. Given this specific audience, how does the Houston Chronicle maintain impartiality in its content to appeal to both liberal and conservative readers?
When determining bias, some of the most common metrics used include Tone, Tendency, Author, Diction, and Expediency Bias, which are the primary metrics we’ll focus on below.
- Tone: This represents the attitude of the writing, formed distinctively but related to the author’s word choices or diction.
- Diction: The specific words chosen by the writer.
- Author: A metric related to the article’s author, taking into account their history of stance on issues based on past articles and social media posts.
- Expediency Bias: relates to the immediate impression created by elements like the article’s headline, images, or summary, indicating if they favor a particular viewpoint.
Source: Houston Chronicle
An example of this is “Federal judge blocks SB 4, Texas’ new migrant deportation law”. Biasly has rated this article as “Center-Left,” meaning it presents an impartial perspective. The expediency bias lies within the dull, depressing photograph as it captures National Guardsmen apprehending a group of migrants who crossed the US/Mexico border from Piedra Negra, MX. The tone is informative and critical when the author states a federal judge blocked a Texas law that would give authorities the power to arrest and deport migrants seeking asylum.
“To allow Texas to permanently supersede federal directives on the basis of an invasion would amount to nullification of federal law and authority — a notion that is antithetical to the Constitution and has been unequivocally rejected by federal courts since the Civil War, Ezra wrote.”
The tendency of the author’s tone consistently demonstrates a bias against the Texas state law and its supporters, particularly the Texas Republican leaders, including Governor Greg Abbott. The critical tone and perspective consistently portray both the law and its proponents negatively. The author emphasizes the federal judge’s rejection of the law’s provisions and the arguments made by Texas Republican leaders. Furthermore, the author highlights the federal judge’s dismissal of the state’s claims, focusing on the unconstitutionality of the law and the rejection of the “invasion” argument.
The formal and legalistic diction contributes to a perception of neutrality and objectivity, focusing solely on the facts and legal arguments related to the Texas state law and the federal judge ruling. Phrases such as “patently unconstitutional,” “conflicts with key provisions of federal immigration law,” and “nullification of federal law and authority” emphasize the tension between the two legal frameworks.
Regarding the author’s bias, Benjamin Wermund is a senior political reporter for the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News. Wermund’s X (Twitter) profile does not reveal much about the author’s opinions; instead, it just posts about current events in Texas. His X (Twitter) account primarily posts articles on Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott; however, it mainly reports on how his actions and policies affect on a state and national level.
Robert Roberson is set to be the first person executed for a murder conviction tied to the diagnosis of shaken baby syndrome, unless @GregAbbott_TX intervenes in a matter of hours #txlege https://t.co/g9zE8DnIK2
— Ben Wermund (@benwermund) October 17, 2024
Exclusive: President Biden says Greg Abbott and Dan Patrick delayed federal Beryl aid. “I’ve been trying to track down the governor ” Biden said.
Patrick, acting gov, said he was “easy to find” and there was no delay. Abbott is on a business trip in Asiahttps://t.co/KaTozALaOR— Ben Wermund (@benwermund) July 9, 2024
Analysis of Houston Chronicle Opinion Articles
Before addressing this question, it is essential to differentiate between opinion and reporting. Reporting aims to be neutral, presenting facts and quotes from primary sources to allow readers to form their own opinions. In contrast, opinions provide columnists with a platform to express their personal views on current issues. While the Houston Chronicle is a neutral publication, it also features an Opinion section where columnists express their perspectives.
“The Real Threats to Democracy Are Trump and the GOP.” The language in the title clearly shows bias, as it labels Donald Trump and the GOP as “real threats,” establishing an aggressive tone and aligning the author’s stance. This choice of language is designed to provoke a strong emotional response from readers, potentially influencing their views even before they read further. In the article, the author asserts:
“Republicans, especially Trump and his cronies, tend to accuse others (Democrats) of what they are already guilty of doing.”
“Trump seems to want to be a dictator forever, like the leaders of Russia, North Korea, and China, and he would do anything to become one.”
The author uses emotionally charged left-leaning language to shape public perception, encouraging readers to adopt a similar viewpoint. This bias can polarize public opinion, reinforcing existing beliefs and potentially deepening divisions among political factions. Consequently, the article influences readers’ understanding of the political landscape and affects their engagement with related issues.
However, some opinion pieces maintain a more impartial and objective tone. For example, the article “Biden Moves to Protect Transgender Athletes Banned from Texas Sports” avoids sensational language and does not seek to provoke emotions. Instead, the author emphasizes protecting transgender athletes by presenting factual information, diverse perspectives, and quotes from various stakeholders without dramatization or sensationalism.
The author notes that:
“While the Biden proposal bars one-size-fits-all bans, it allows flexibility for schools to develop eligibility criteria meant to ensure fairness or prevent injury.”
The author also includes the Republican perspective on the matter:
“But it nonetheless marks the latest clash between the Biden administration and red states including Texas, where Republicans have adopted such bans in recent years.”
Unlike the earlier example, this article provides a more balanced and comprehensive viewpoint.
Overall, the publication’s opinion articles tend to exhibit a predominant left-leaning bias, as evidenced by their frequent use of language aligning with progressive values and critiques of conservative figures and policies. While occasional pieces strive for balance or present centrist viewpoints, a noticeable skew toward liberal ideologies is evident. However, the publication occasionally features right-leaning pieces, aiming to offer a platform for diverse voices amongst its readership.
Who Owns the Houston Chronicle?
The Hearst Corporation has owned the Houston Chronicle since 1987 and is one of the nation’s largest and most diversified global information media companies. In addition to the Chronicle, Hearst owns 52 weekly newspapers and more than 200 magazines worldwide. The company also operates 35 television stations, including A&E, Lifetime, and ESPN.
Steven R. Swartz is Hearst’s President and Chief Executive Officer, having worked for the company for over 20 years. Before assuming the role of CEO, Swartz served as Hearst’s President and Chief Operating Officer. After graduating from Harvard, he began his career as a reporter for The Wall Street Journal in 1984, eventually becoming an editor on the Journal’s Page One staff from 1989 to 1991. He served five years as chairman of the Associated Press from 2017 to 2022. Swartz currently serves on ESPN’s board of directors and is also a member of the Business Roundtable.
How to Evaluate and Uncover Bias
It can often be difficult to tell if the news you watch is biased. If you have settled on a news channel, it’s usually because you trust the information you are gaining. Unfortunately, many trust the information they are hearing because it confirms what they already believe. This is referred to as “confirmation bias.” It is important to challenge your beliefs and get third-party verification that what you are hearing is the whole story. This is why we recommend using Biasly to compare different news stories side-by-side using our bias ratings to figure out what both sides think of a political issue.
Although Biasly has given the Houston Chronicle a Center bias score, the bias can vary from article to article. The Houston Chronicle does not exclusively publish content that favors one side; it has produced leftist and conservative opinion pieces. Consequently, some articles will exhibit more bias, with general news articles typically being less biased than opinion pieces.
Every article you read will have some degree of bias. Some articles adhere more closely to the facts than others, so it is crucial to use Biasly’s News Check to assess the bias of what you read.