How we judge independence. A source counts as independent when it is not owned or controlled by a media or business group, a political party, a party-affiliated foundation, or the state — and its funding comes from its own audience, its own advertising, its owner-operator, or arm's-length grants.

Politics, professional background and editorial slant are recorded above as context — they never decide the verdict. Confidence says how well evidenced the ownership is: where it is low, we have found no owner rather than confirmed there isn’t one.