Study finds nearly half of UK news articles about Muslims contain bias

2026-03-09 - 09:12

A comprehensive study by the Centre for Media Monitoring (CfMM) has found widespread anti-Muslim bias across UK media outlets in 2025, with nearly half of all articles about Muslims containing some form of prejudice. The report, examining 40,913 articles published across 30 major news outlets, revealed that approximately 20,000 pieces demonstrated biased coverage of Islam and Muslim communities. Negative associations dominate The study found that 70% of articles connected Muslims or Islam with negative behaviors or issues, perpetuating harmful stereotypes and reinforcing negative perceptions. This consistent pattern of negative association suggests structural issues in how British media covers Muslim communities and Islamic topics, potentially influencing public opinion and social cohesion. Right-wing outlets lead bias The report identified right-wing publications as the primary source of anti-Muslim bias, with The Spectator having the highest proportion of "very biased" articles. Other outlets with the most biased coverage included GB News, The Telegraph, Jewish Chronicle, Daily Express, The Sun, Daily Mail and The Times. In contrast, the BBC recorded the lowest rates of bias among all outlets studied. Concern over structural bias "The largest study of its kind ever conducted in the UK, this report presents deeply concerning evidence of structural bias in how Muslims are portrayed in the UK press," said Rizwana Hamid, director of CfMM. The findings raise questions about media responsibility, representation, and the impact of biased reporting on community relations and social integration in Britain.