Guardian newspaper owner: Who owns The Guardian and what it means for UK news
When you read The Guardian, a major UK newspaper known for independent journalism and progressive reporting. Also known as Guardian News & Media, it is owned by the Guardian Media Group, a non-profit trust established to protect the paper’s editorial independence. Unlike most newspapers, it doesn’t answer to shareholders or private owners—its profits are reinvested into journalism, not pulled out by investors. This structure makes it one of the few major news organizations in the world that isn’t driven by profit targets.
That’s why The Guardian can run stories others avoid. It’s the paper that broke the phone-hacking scandal, led coverage on climate change, and kept reporting on UK welfare cuts even when other outlets moved on. Its ownership model—run by the Scott Trust since 1936—was created to ensure the paper would never be sold to a media mogul or turned into a tabloid. The Scott Trust doesn’t own The Guardian for money. It owns it to keep it honest. That’s rare. And it shows. When you compare The Guardian to papers owned by billionaires like Rupert Murdoch or the Daily Mail’s owner, the difference isn’t just tone—it’s accountability. The Guardian doesn’t need to chase clicks to please an owner. It needs to serve readers. That’s why it has no paywall on most content and still invests in long-form investigations.
Other UK papers? Most are owned by a handful of corporations. The Daily Mail by Daily Mail and General Trust. The Times by News UK (owned by Rupert Murdoch). Even the BBC, though publicly funded, faces political pressure. But The Guardian? It answers to no one but its readers and its trust. That’s why it’s trusted by millions—not because it’s perfect, but because it’s transparent about its mission. You won’t find hidden agendas here. You’ll find journalism built to last.
Below, you’ll find a collection of posts that dig into what this means for UK news: how ownership shapes reporting, why The Guardian’s model stands out, and how other papers compare—from the Daily Mail’s bias to the BBC’s balancing act. These aren’t just stories about newspapers. They’re stories about power, truth, and who gets to decide what you read.
Who Owns The Guardian? The Full Story Behind the Newspaper's Ownership
The Guardian is owned by the Scott Trust, a nonprofit established in 1936 to protect its editorial independence. Unlike other major newspapers, it has no corporate owner, no billionaire backer, and no profit-driven agenda.