- Sept. 2020 Independent Review
- Community Feedback on Axios' Center Rating
- May 2017 Blind Bias Survey and Independent Review
- About a Center Media Bias Rating
- About Axios
Sept. 2020 Independent Review
A Sept. 2020 independent review of Axios by an AllSides editor determined the site largely has a Center bias.
The editor found Axios is very brief in its reporting, typically using short paragraphs and bulleted lists, and does not often commit common types of media bias such as spin, unsubstantiated claims, or sensationalism.
Axios' reporting largely included objective statements, with few examples of subjective analysis or opinion passed off as objective fact. There were some exceptions to this. Axios typically uses full quotes, not partial quotes.
Axios sometimes commits omission of source attribution, making claims without providing a clear source to back them up. Axios does display bias occasionally — a Sept. 20, 2020 article "Democrats' Armageddon Option" included much sensationalist language, such as "furious Democrats are considering total war," and mentions of "Republican hypocrisy." Overall, Axios' reporting did not display much partisan bias one way or the other.
Community Feedback on Axios' Center Rating
Note: Community feedback does not determine our ratings, but is valuable feedback that may trigger a deeper review.
As of Sept. 2020, 2,218 people voted that they agreed with our rating of Center for Axios, and 2,480 disagreed.
The average rating from the community is Center. Of people who disagreed with the Center rating, on average they thought Axios leaned right. Overall, counting all votes, the average community vote was on the border of Center and Lean Right.
May 2017 Blind Bias Survey and Independent Review
The results of a May 2017 AllSides Blind Bias Survey indicated respondents across the political spectrum found Axios to be Center.
Also in May 2017, an AllSides independent reviewer determined Axios' rating to be Center based on its avoidance of charged or emotive language in most cases, and its general focus on facts and hard information as opposed to hearsay.
About a Center Media Bias Rating
A Center media bias rating does not necessarily mean a source is unbiased, neutral, perfectly reasonable, or credible, and Center doesn't mean better! AllSides encourages people to read outlets across the political spectrum. Learn more about a Center rating.
About Axios
Axios is a digital news website. It was created in 2016 by three former Politico journalists. It publishes stories in a signature concise format based around bulleted lists. The site's name is based on the Greek: ἄξιος (áxios), meaning "worthy."
Axios's founder VandeHei said he wanted the site to be a "mix between The Economist and Twitter."
Funding, Financing and Ownership
Note: Funding and ownership is not taken into account when determining AllSides Media Bias Ratings. While it's true ownership and financial interests can affect what goes to print, our bias ratings are determined by assessing the bias of content only. We provide financial and ownership information as an FYI to our readers.
In 2016, Axios secured $10 million in a round of financing led by Lerer Hippeau Ventures, a venture capital firm that also backed HuffPost and BuzzFeed. Backers include NBC News, a media partner and whose president, Andy Lack, sits on the Axios board; Emerson Collective, the investment vehicle of Laurene Powell Jobs, the widow of Steve Jobs; Greycroft Partners; and David and Katherine Bradley, owners of Atlantic Media.