The right-leaning publication Current Revolt has become the latest independent Texas news outlet to spotlight the bias of The Dallas Morning News and tout the rise of alternatives to the legacy outlet.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, DMN admitted to some of its coverage being biased toward left-wing voices and perspectives. DMN public editor Stephen Buckley acknowledged in an op-ed that readers have complained about the slant on topics ranging from transgender issues to the Israel-Hamas war.
“[Executive editor Katrice] Hardy has told the newsroom that reporters need to be more transparent with readers when they can’t reach someone. Stories now regularly tell us how hard reporters tried to contact a source,” Buckley wrote, explaining the measures that might be taken to include non-left-wing perspectives and comments.
The bias seen at media outlets like DMN has led many readers to pick alternative news sources, including social media and smaller independent news outlets.
“Texans have long known that they cannot relate to the messaging that traditional news outlets put out every day. Many of these outlets aren’t even hiding their left-leaning slant anymore,” Current Revolt publisher Tony Ortiz recently wrote.
“Outlets like The Dallas Express or The Texan continue to provide news of very high caliber while maintaining either a conservative or neutral tone, allowing readers to decide how they feel about topics or to simply have a right-leaning view that is so often missing in any form of mainstream media nowadays,” he added.
He noted further that such outlets are not beholden to big-dollar special interests or political action committees yet still manage to produce impactful news stories. He cited his outlet’s coverage of recent Texas election ballot leaks and contracted social media influencers flying under the Texas Ethic Commission’s radar.
Reporting from DX has also made significant waves in Texas.
As reported by DX, Rep. Justin Holland (R-Rockwall) allegedly attempted to sell a family’s property for which he had been appointed receiver at a $1.2 million discount to someone who had donated to his state house campaign. The coverage exposed the incumbent’s questionable dealings.
Katrina Pierson subsequently defeated Holland in the Republican primary runoff.
DX also reported on the scale to which multiple Texas universities were seemingly skirting the state’s ban on “diversity, equity, and inclusion” programs and departments. Following DX‘s investigation, UT Austin and Texas A&M quietly removed some of their likely illegal DEI requirements from job postings.
Additionally, DX recently reported on documents the news outlet obtained that revealed a controversial employee dress code policy at 24 Hour Fitness. The coverage sparked frustration and conversation in the industry over the purportedly political dress code at the fitness firm.
The relevance of alternative, independent news media is on the rise as local right-leaning voices increasingly shun legacy media.
“The news should be based on facts, not opinions. When media is clearly driven by political activism, most people are distrusting of it,” Texas Coalition for Kids president Kelly Neidert previously told DX.
DX reached out to DMN publisher Grant S. Moise. He was unavailable for comment.
“The more time I spend time talking to Texans the more I find that they’re no longer getting their news from traditional mainstream news sources. YouTube, Twitter/X, Facebook, and non-traditional news sites now make up the bulk of how people get their news,” Ortiz wrote.