Can iDNES.cz Be Trusted? Bias Analysis, Ownership, and Fact-Checking
iDNES.cz Overview and Political Bias
Critics often characterize iDNES.cz as maintaining a center-right, populist orientation. Some observers claim the portal’s editorial independence was compromised during its ownership by Andrej Babiš. Reports suggest the site occasionally employs sensationalist framing on social issues, while proponents describe it as a standard source for mainstream national news.
| Standpoint | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Overall political leaning | Center Right |
| Estimated number of readers | 4,500,000 |
| Israel support | Generally Pro-Israel |
| Use of loaded / emotional language | Medium |
| Target Audience | Mass market |
iDNES.cz History
Founded in 1998 as the digital companion to the Mladá fronta DNES newspaper, iDNES.cz emerged as a pioneer in Czech digital journalism. Over decades, it transitioned from a simple news aggregator to a major multimedia portal, consistently ranking as one of the most influential websites in the Czech Republic.
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Who owns iDNES.cz?
iDNES.cz is owned by the MAFRA media group. In 2013, MAFRA was acquired by Andrej Babiš via Agrofert. To comply with conflict-of-interest legislation, Agrofert sold MAFRA in 2023 to the Kaprain investment group, owned by Czech billionaire Karel Pražák. Funding primarily comes from advertising and premium subscriptions.