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Musk says Tesla and SpaceX have formed committees to weigh a possible merger

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Coverage spectrum

Covered by 17 outlets across the spectrum.

28 articles in total, 3 of them opinion. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

A man in a dark suit speaks in front of a large red Tesla logo.
Image via Business InsiderHow images are chosenReport this image

Elon Musk confirmed on Tuesday, on a SpaceX earnings call, that Tesla and SpaceX are exploring a possible merger. He said the boards of both companies have formed special committees to consider it and that he is not part of either committee. Musk said the idea has merit, but the committees have reached no agreement and there is no guarantee of a deal. Any transaction would need a vote from shareholders of both companies. Al Jazeera reports the combined company would be worth $3.5 trillion, and some analysts question whether the tie-up would serve other shareholders.

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. How this works

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

  1. Musk confirmed on a SpaceX earnings call that Tesla and SpaceX are exploring a possible merger.

    Across the spectrumReported byLeft3Center2Right1Far Right2See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    NBC News, Al Jazeera English, Bloomberg
    Center
    BBC News, Deutsche Welle
    Right
    Washington Examiner
    Far Right
    Just the News, Breitbart News

  2. The boards of Tesla and SpaceX have each formed a special committee to consider a merger.

    Reported byLeft2Center1Far Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    Business Insider, NBC News
    Center
    BBC News
    Far Right
    Breitbart News

  3. Musk said a merger would be a good idea, but the committees have reached no agreement and there is no guarantee of a deal.

    Reported byLeft1Center2Right1Far Right2See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    Bloomberg
    Center
    BBC News, Deutsche Welle
    Right
    Washington Examiner
    Far Right
    Just the News, Breitbart News

  4. Musk said he is not part of either committee’s discussions.

    Reported byLeft2Far Right2See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    Business Insider, Bloomberg
    Far Right
    Just the News, Breitbart News

  5. Any deal would need a vote from shareholders of both companies.

    One outletBreitbart News· Far Right

What is contested

Where accounts differ

Points the coverage does not agree on, and who says what.

  • A merger of Tesla and SpaceX would benefit the companies and their shareholders.

    Musk says there is a lot of merit in combining the companies. MarketWatch argues a merger would probably be a bad idea for investors. The Financial Times says the deal has some logic but other shareholders might end up with less influence.

  • The two companies are moving toward a merger.

    Business Insider and NBC report committees as formed to explore a merger. Deutsche Welle says it would be premature to assume the merger is happening, and Musk says no agreement has been reached.

How each side tells it

Compare views

Coverage on all three sides reports that Musk has confirmed Tesla and SpaceX are exploring a merger and that no deal is agreed. The main difference is emphasis: right and left headlines lead with Musk’s own words, while center outlets add caveats and investor concerns.

  • the left

    7 outlets

    Left headlines mostly report Musk’s statements, but Business Insider states the committee step as settled fact, and few headlines carry the caveat that no deal is agreed.

    Tesla and SpaceX have set up committees to explore a merger
    Business InsiderLeftAll left-leaning headlines

  • the center

    7 outlets

    Center headlines mostly quote Musk’s ‘good idea’ view or report the exploration, while the analysis pieces add caveats: no deal is assured, and investors should be skeptical.

    Elon Musk says Tesla-SpaceX merger would be a 'good idea'
    BBC NewsCenterAll center headlines

  • the right

    3 outlets · 1 opinion

    Right headlines lead with Musk’s own confirmation or endorsement, as in ‘confirms’ and ‘calling it a good idea’; the Far Right opinion piece RedState treats the tie-up as a future to admire.

    Musk explores merging SpaceX and Tesla, calling it a ‘good idea’
    Washington ExaminerRightAll right-leaning headlines

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

  • Left0

    No loaded words in its own voice.

  • Center3

    drops new cluesmost audacious deal yetgamble

  • Right3

    amazingCrazyFascinating

In the outlets’ own words

  • Loaded verb

    drops new cluesMore neutral: discusses

    The phrase presents Musk's comments as deliberate hints, which adds a judgement about his intent that the remarks themselves do not establish.

    Tesla’s stock rises as Elon Musk drops new clues about a possible SpaceX merger

    Used byMarketWatch (Center)

  • Sensational language

    most audacious deal yetMore neutral: largest deal yet

    The phrase calls the deal bold in a way that is a judgement rather than a fact.

    The world’s richest man attempts his most audacious deal yet.

    Used byFinancial Times (Center)

  • Sensational language

    gambleMore neutral: deal

    The word presents the deal as a risky wager before its outcome is known.

    Rockets, robots and risk: Musk’s $3.6tn gamble to merge Tesla and SpaceX

    Used byFinancial Times (Center)

  • Sensational language

    amazingMore neutral: notable

    The word is the writer’s praise rather than a description of what the technology does.

    …that it may not be everyone’s first choice for a practical car anytime soon, the amazing technological advances it showcased have massive implications for our future.

    Used byRedState (Far Right)

Show 2 more phrasesShow fewer

  • Sensational language

    CrazyMore neutral: (omit) and quote the statement

    Diagnoses the speaker instead of quoting them.

    (See: Here's Why Elon Musk's Crazy Sci-Fi Flying Tesla Roadster Is Actually Important — Really Important.)

    Used byRedState (Far Right)

  • Sensational language

    FascinatingMore neutral: possible

    The word praises the possible merger rather than reporting it.

    Elon Musk Floats Fascinating Possible Future for SpaceX-Tesla

    Used byRedState (Far Right)

See the full language guide

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

7 outlets

Leads with

  • Committees set up as a concrete step
  • Musk’s ownership and dual CEO role
  • Musk’s view that the merger makes sense

Leaves out

  • Analyst skepticism that a merger would be a bad idea
  • Concerns that other shareholders could lose influence

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 7 headlines from the leftHide the headlines

From the center

7 outlets

Leads with

  • Musk calling a merger a good idea
  • No deal assured and premature to assume it
  • Shareholder influence and investor skepticism

Leaves out

  • The $3.5 trillion combined valuation
  • Musk’s exclusion from the committee discussions

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 7 headlines from the centerHide the headlines

From the right

3 outlets · 1 opinion

Leads with

  • Musk’s confirmation of exploring a merger
  • Musk’s endorsement of the idea as good
  • Committees formed to weigh the deal

Leaves out

  • Investor skepticism about the deal
  • Concerns that other shareholders could lose influence

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 4 headlines from the rightHide the headlines

Articles you open from here build My Mix, a private picture of how your reading spreads across the spectrum, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.

Who reported it when

How the coverage built up

  • Left

    5 min later

    Its first report, Oct 20, 6:11 PM EDT

  • Center

    First to report

    BBC News, Oct 20, 6:06 PM EDT

  • Right

    17 hr 13 min later

    Its first report, Oct 21, 11:19 AM EDT

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
  1. BBC NewsCenterOct 20, 6:06 PM EDT
  2. Business InsiderLeftOct 20, 6:11 PM EDT
  3. MarketWatchCenterOct 20, 6:33 PM EDT
  4. NBC NewsLeftOct 20, 6:57 PM EDT
  5. Al Jazeera EnglishLeftOct 20, 9:19 PM EDT
  6. Deutsche WelleCenterOct 21, 1:53 AM EDT
  7. TIMELeftOct 21, 4:45 AM EDT
  8. Financial TimesCenterOct 21, 5:50 AM EDT
  9. BloombergLeftOct 21, 6:26 AM EDT
  10. The New York TimesLeftOct 21, 7:13 AM EDT
  11. SemaforCenterOct 21, 7:15 AM EDT
  12. Washington ExaminerRightOct 21, 11:19 AM EDT
  13. CBS NewsLeftOct 21, 11:29 AM EDT
  14. The HillCenterOct 21, 11:51 AM EDT
  15. Breitbart NewsFar RightOct 21, 11:54 AM EDT
  16. CNBCCenterOct 21, 12:01 PM EDT

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out. Just the News gave only a date, so it is not placed.

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