METHODOLOGY
How we analyze international news through the perspectives of 36 countries.
OUR MISSION
The Refract analyzes the same news topic through the media of 13 different countries. By confronting the angles, omissions, and biases of each national coverage, we help you break your information bubble and understand how information is shaped by its geopolitical and cultural context.
OUR SOURCES
For each country, we analyze a diverse panel of media covering different editorial spectrums:
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FRANCE
Mainstream press (Le Monde, Le Figaro), public media (France 24, RFI), independent press (Mediapart)
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UNITED STATES
Mainstream (NYT, Washington Post), cable news (CNN, Fox News), independent media (AP, Reuters US)
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UNITED KINGDOM
National press (The Guardian, The Times), public media (BBC), tabloids (Daily Mail)
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GERMANY
Reference press (Der Spiegel, Die Zeit), public media (Deutsche Welle, ARD), regional press
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CHINA
State media (Xinhua, CGTN, Global Times), official press (People's Daily)
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RUSSIA
State media (RT, TASS, RIA Novosti), independent press (Meduza, Novaya Gazeta)
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JAPAN
National agencies (Kyodo, Jiji), mainstream press (Asahi Shimbun, NHK), business press (Nikkei)
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SAUDI ARABIA
State media (Al Arabiya, Arab News), pan-Arab press (Asharq Al-Awsat), local press (Saudi Gazette)
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QATAR
State media (Al Jazeera), national press (The Peninsula, Gulf Times, Qatar Tribune)
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EGYPT
State press (Ahram Online), independent media (Mada Masr, Egypt Independent), regional coverage (Al-Monitor)
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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Official agency (WAM), national press (The National, Gulf News, Khaleej Times)
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IRAQ
Kurdish media (Rudaw, Kurdistan 24), state agency (Iraqi News Agency), independent press (Iraqi News)
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ISRAEL
Reference press (Haaretz), English-language media (Times of Israel, Jerusalem Post), rolling news (i24NEWS)
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IRAN
State media (Press TV, Tehran Times), opposition media (Iran International), independent press (IranWire)
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INDIA
English-language press (The Hindu, Times of India, NDTV), public media (Doordarshan), independent press (The Wire)
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TURKEY
Mainstream press (Hurriyet, Daily Sabah), public media (TRT World), independent press (Bianet)
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SOUTH AFRICA
National press (Mail & Guardian, Daily Maverick, News24), public media (SABC)
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BRAZIL
Mainstream press (Folha de S.Paulo, O Globo, Estadao), independent media (The Brazilian Report)
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INDONESIA
National press (Kompas, Jakarta Post, Tempo), independent media (Tirto)
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UKRAINE
State agency (Ukrinform), independent press (Kyiv Independent, Ukrainska Pravda), online media (Babel)
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POLAND
Public media (TVP World), reference press (Gazeta Wyborcza, Rzeczpospolita), English-language media (Notes from Poland)
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ITALY
National press (Corriere della Sera, La Repubblica), news agency (ANSA), business press (Il Sole 24 Ore)
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SPAIN
Reference press (El Pais, La Vanguardia), news agency (EFE), national press (El Mundo)
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MEXICO
National press (El Universal, Reforma), independent media (Animal Politico), progressive press (La Jornada)
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ARGENTINA
Mainstream press (Clarin, La Nacion), digital media (Infobae), left-leaning press (Pagina/12)
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COLOMBIA
National press (El Tiempo, El Espectador), opinion media (Semana), investigative journalism (La Silla Vacia)
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SOUTH KOREA
National agency (Yonhap News), English-language press (Korea Herald), progressive press (Hankyoreh), conservative press (Chosun Ilbo)
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PAKISTAN
Reference press (Dawn), mainstream media (Geo News, The News International), English-language press (Express Tribune)
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TAIWAN
English-language press (Taipei Times, Taiwan News), national agency (Focus Taiwan), analytical press (CommonWealth Magazine)
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SINGAPORE
National press (The Straits Times), public media (Channel News Asia), online press (TODAY, The Independent Singapore)
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PHILIPPINES
National press (Philippine Daily Inquirer), investigative media (Rappler), mainstream press (Manila Bulletin, ABS-CBN News)
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AUSTRALIA
Public media (ABC Australia), national press (The Australian, Sydney Morning Herald), international press (The Guardian Australia)
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NIGERIA
Investigative press (Premium Times), national press (The Punch, Vanguard Nigeria), business press (ThisDay)
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KENYA
National press (Daily Nation, The Standard), regional coverage (The East African), online media (Capital FM)
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ETHIOPIA
Independent press (Addis Standard, Ethiopian Reporter), state media (Fana Broadcasting, The Ethiopian Herald)
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MOROCCO
Independent press (TelQuel), online media (Le360, Hespress), official agency (MAP)
BIAS DETECTION
We identify 10 types of media biases in each national coverage:
01
FRAMING
The way a topic is presented influences the reader's perception. The same event can be framed as an economic crisis or a reform opportunity.
02
OMISSION
What is left unsaid is sometimes more revealing than what is written. Selective omission of facts shapes the reader's understanding.
03
SENSATIONALISM
Exaggeration of facts or use of dramatic language to capture attention, at the expense of nuance and accuracy.
04
APPEAL TO FEAR
Use of catastrophic scenarios or threats to influence opinion, often disproportionate to the actual risks.
05
APPEAL TO EMOTION
Use of emotionally charged testimonies or images to shape opinion without relying on factual arguments.
06
FALSE BALANCE
Presenting two positions as equivalent when the scientific or factual consensus clearly leans to one side.
07
CONFIRMATION BIAS
Tendency to select and present information that confirms a pre-existing thesis while ignoring contrary evidence.
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SOURCE BIAS
Excessive dependence on certain sources (official, anonymous) without diversification or cross-verification.
EDITORIAL PROCESS
Each subject published on The Refract follows a rigorous 4-step process:
01
COLLECTION
Identification of a major news topic and systematic collection of articles from media in our 36 covered countries.
02
AI ANALYSIS
Our algorithms analyze each article to extract key points, editorial angle, tone used, and potential biases.
03
HUMAN VERIFICATION
Each analysis is reviewed and validated by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and relevance of results.
04
PUBLICATION
Perspectives are published with their sources, allowing readers to compare treatments and form their own opinion.
ETHICS AND TRANSPARENCY
The Refract does not claim absolute objectivity. Our mission is to make biases visible, not to eliminate them. Each perspective reflects a specific cultural and editorial context.
- -We use artificial intelligence to assist with analysis, and we say so openly.
- -All our sources are cited and accessible for verification.
- -We do not claim to hold the truth: we give you the tools to seek it yourself.
WHY AI?
A French journalist naturally analyzes news through a French lens. An American journalist, through an American lens. It's human nature.
AI allows us to analyze each national coverage with the same analytical framework, without allegiance to any country or editorial line. It's not perfect — no tool is — but it ensures consistency of analysis across all 13 perspectives.
Each analysis is accompanied by its sources so you can verify for yourself.