Government approves Jackdaw North Sea gas field
The government has approved the Jackdaw gas field, about 150 miles east of Aberdeen, with gas due to flow from the end of the month. The decision on Rosebank is delayed, and the ban on new licences stays.
Left 1 · Centre-left 12 · Centre 6 · Centre-right 4 · Right 2
Sources by leanFollow the moneyMore coverage
How each side framed it
Left-leaning outlets
Climate betrayal: 'act of climate vandalism' (Novara); campaigners 'condemn maddening decision' (Guardian); 'what it means for the climate crisis and your bills' (Independent).
Centre outlets
Centre-rated outlets headline it: “Government approves Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea” (Sky News); “UK approves development of Jackdaw gasfield in North Sea” (Financial Times).
Right-leaning outlets
Overdue common sense, now push further: 'Now it's Rosebank's turn' (GB News), 'The green case for drilling in the North Sea' (Telegraph), industry says Rosebank is 'equally vital' (Standard).
Holding the paradox
Agreed facts
The government approved Jackdaw (about 150 miles east of Aberdeen). Gas is due to flow from the end of the month. Rosebank's decision is delayed. The manifesto ban on new licences stays in place.
Where claims conflict
Whether it helps bills: the energy secretary says it won't mean cheaper bills (Times), while the right frames it as energy security and relief. The climate effect of domestic supply versus imported LNG is disputed.
The paradox
Jackdaw is too small to fix bills or to wreck the climate. It is about 6% of UK North Sea gas output (Adura). Both sides are arguing about what the decision signals for Rosebank and for Burnham's direction, more than about its physical effects.
Sources by lean
Balanced: the same number of articles from the left, the centre and the right (up to 3 each). The bar above still counts every rated outlet we found. Bias and factual ratings come from Media Bias/Fact Check. How we balance · All ratings.
Left 3
Centre 3
- The Scotsman
Jackdaw gas field approved by UK government to 'begin gas supply this winter' - Financial Times
UK approves development of Jackdaw gasfield in North Sea (paywalled or blocks bots) - France 24
UK govt approves drilling in Jackdaw gas field (paywalled or blocks bots)
Right 3
- Daily Express
Andy Burnham set to approve controversial Jackdaw gas field - ITV News
Government approves drilling in Jackdaw gas field - Wall Street Journal
Jackdaw Gas Field Gets Green Light from U.K. Government (paywall or login)
Showing 3 from each side of 25 rated outlets (L 13 / C 6 / R 6). More coverage
Follow the money
Not yet researched. We haven't yet looked at who gains or loses financially from this story, or who funds the main voices on each side. When we do, we check company filings, the Electoral Commission donations register, lobbying registers, annual reports, InfluenceMap and OpenSecrets, and we apply the same checks to every side. How we follow the money.
Who owns or funds the outlets covering this story (25 outlets)
| Outlet | Lean | Ownership & funding (MBFC) |
|---|---|---|
| Novara Media | Left | Thousand Hands Ltd, a not-for-profit company, owns and publishes Novara Media. Donations, sales of merchandise, and tickets for events generate revenue. Novara Media disclaims that they have received funding from the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, a transnational alternative policy lobby group and educational institution centered in Germany and affiliated with the democratic socialist Left Party. source |
| Bloomberg | Centre-left | Michael R. Bloomberg is the founder and majority owner of Bloomberg LP (The parent company of Bloomberg News). According to Investopedia, Bloomberg Terminal (remote software used to access financial information) is the most expensive among financial data providers. source |
| CNBC | Centre-left | CNBC is owned by NBC Universal, which Comcast owns. Comcast’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is Brian L. Roberts, founded by his father, Ralph J. source |
| CNN | Centre-left | No ownership data found |
| Deutsche Welle | Centre-left | The German government funds Deutsche Welle (DW). They state, “DW is financed via funding from the state – i.e., from tax revenue. This is in contrast to the domestic public channels, which are funded via broadcasting fees.” source |
| Left Foot Forward | Centre-left | They are transparent, stating Left Foot Forward is “funded by grassroots reader support, partnerships, and advertising. Before 2018, LFF was funded largely through our membership of media cooperative Political Pixel, which was funded largely by trade unions. We are committed to transparency and publish details of any donors who contribute more than £5,000 in any calendar year. source |
| NBC News | Centre-left | No ownership data found |
| New York Times | Centre-left | The Ochs-Sulzberger family controls the New York Times through Class B shares. Since 1967, the company has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol NYT. Class B shares are those that are held privately. source |
| Politico Europe | Centre-left | On 8/26/2021, German publisher Axel Springer purchased Politico and Politico Europe for a reported 1 billion dollars. Axel Springer owns numerous publications, including Bild, Business Insider, and Fakt. source |
| The Guardian | Centre-left | The Guardian and its companion publication, the Sunday newspaper The Observer, are owned by Guardian Media Group plc (GMG). Scott Trust Limited was created in 1936 to ensure the editorial independence of the publications and owns Guardian Media Group plc (GMG). source |
| The Herald (Scotland) | Centre-left | The Glasgow Herald is published by Herald & Times Group, which is owned by Newsquest Media Group Ltd. Newsquest is the second-largest publisher in the United Kingdom, publishing 205 brands including 165 newspapers. Further, Newsquest is owned by US-based Gannett which publishes USA Today. source |
| The Independent | Centre-left | The Independent is owned by Independent Print Limited, a company owned by the Lebedev family (Alexander Lebedev and his son Evgeny Lebedev). In 2017, Saudi Businessman Sultan Muhammad Abuljadayel bought a 30% stake in the Independent online newspaper. Advertising and subscription generate revenue for the paper..push({}); source |
| The National (Scotland) | Centre-left | The National is operated by Newsquest Media Group Ltd., a UK-based local media publisher. Newsquest is a wholly owned subsidiary of USA TODAY Co., Inc., the media company formerly known as Gannett Company, which also controls AZthe USA TODAY Network of national and local news outlets in the United States and regional titles in the United Kingdom. Revenue is generated from advertising and subscription sales source |
| BBC News | Centre | The BBC operates under a Royal Charter. Oversight is managed by the BBC Board, and regulatory authority rests with Ofcom. source |
| Financial Times | Centre | The Financial Times is owned by The Nikkei, a Japanese news and financial information company that publishes the leading financial paper, The Nikkei. The FT generates revenue through subscriptions, a hard paywall, and advertising..push({}); source |
| France 24 | Centre | France 24 is owned by France Médias Monde, a state-owned French holding company that supervises and coordinates the activities of the major public media organizations broadcasting or publishing internationally from France. Besides government funding, they also generate revenue through advertising. source |
| Reuters | Centre | In April 2008, the British company Reuters Group was acquired by Thomson Corporation and formed Thomson Reuters. source |
| Sky News | Centre | Sky News is owned by Comcast as of November 2018 and is funded through advertising. Rupert Murdoch is no longer affiliated with Sky News UK; however, Newscorp still has a share of Sky News Australia, which reports with a right-leaning bias. source |
| The Scotsman | Centre | JPIMedia owns the Scotsman. Advertising and subscription fees generate revenue..push({}); source |
| Evening Standard | Centre-right | The newspaper is majority-owned by Russian businessman and former KGB agent Alexander Lebedev and the Daily Mail and General Trust. Revenue is generated through advertising. source |
| ITV News | Centre-right | No ownership data found |
| The Times | Centre-right | The Times and Sunday Times is owned by News UK (News Corp UK & Ireland Limited), which American News Corp owns. The owner and Executive Chairman of News Corp are Rupert Murdoch. Revenue is derived from advertising and subscription fees. source |
| Wall Street Journal | Centre-right | In 2007, The Bancroft family and relatives sold the Wall Street Journal to Rupert Murdoch for 5 billion dollars. Rupert Murdoch also purchased its parent company, Dow Jones & Co., through News Corporation. Subscriptions and advertising fund the Wall Street Journal. source |
| Daily Express | Right | The Daily Express is owned by Reach plc (formerly known as Trinity Mirror), a British newspaper, magazine, and digital publisher. Subscriptions, newsstand sales, and advertising generate revenue. source |
| The Telegraph | Right | Telegraph Media Group (TMG) owns The Telegraph, which is owned by Press Acquisitions Ltd., which in turn is owned by Sir David and Sir Frederick Barclay. In 2004, Twin Brothers Sir David and Sir Frederick Barclay acquired the Daily Telegraph and the Sunday Telegraph from the Canadian media company Hollinger Inc. for £665 million. For a complete list of Board members, see here. source |