How we rate every outlet.
Each outlet gets one of three labels. A rating describes the outlet's news coverage as a whole, not any single story, and is reviewed whenever an outlet changes ownership, leadership or editorial line.
What goes into a rating
- Story selection. Which stories an outlet chooses to cover, and which it leaves out, over months of coverage.
- Headline framing. Word choice in headlines and the first paragraph, and whose account comes first.
- Sourcing. Whether reporting quotes people across the spectrum and attributes contested claims.
- Stated positions. The outlet's editorial board, mission statement and the views of its owners where public.
Lean and full. We record whether an outlet leans to one side or sits fully on it. The site shows both as Left or Right, so a Lean Left outlet is labeled Left. Opinion sections are rated with their outlet; individual opinion pieces are marked Opinion wherever we can tell.
Wire copy. Associated Press stories republished by a network are credited to the Associated Press and labeled Center.
Not carried. By house rule the desk does not carry The New York Times, Politico, Decision Desk HQ, X or the Star Tribune.
Corrections. If a summary gets a fact wrong we correct it and say so on the story. Disagree with a rating? Write to us with examples and we will review it.
Left 14 outlets
Editorial line openly progressive; story selection and framing lean left on U.S. politics.
theguardian.com · 7 feeds on the live wireProgressive voice in headlines and framing; heavy use of commentary in news pages.
huffpost.com · 2 feeds on the live wireExplanatory journalism from a stated progressive viewpoint.
vox.com · 1 feed on the live wireFormerly MSNBC; prime time and digital coverage built around progressive commentary.
ms.now · 1 feed on the live wireMagazine journalism and argument, center left on most political questions.
theatlantic.com · 1 feed on the live wireStraight news desk with framing and story choice that tilt left of center.
cnn.com · 3 feeds on the live wireNetwork news with framing and source choice that tilt left of center.
nbcnews.com · 7 feeds on the live wireNetwork news, mostly straight, with story choice that tilts left of center.
cbsnews.com · 7 feeds on the live wireNetwork news with framing that tilts left of center. Wire stories it republishes are credited to the Associated Press.
abcnews.com · 6 feeds on the live wirePublic radio news, careful in tone, with story selection and framing left of center.
npr.org · 7 feeds on the live wireNewsroom coverage left of center; the opinion section narrowed its focus to personal liberty and free markets in 2025.
washingtonpost.com · 4 feeds on the live wireInternational broadcaster; U.S. and Middle East framing left of center.
aljazeera.com · 1 feed on the live wireMinnesota public radio; mostly straight news, story choice left of center.
mprnews.org · Cited in written summariesIsraeli daily with a left of center editorial line.
haaretz.com · Cited in written summariesCenter 12 outlets
Wire service written for every kind of outlet; plain, attributed copy. Read through the AP stories other outlets republish.
apnews.com · Cited in written summariesCapitol Hill trade paper; news pages balanced in choice and framing, opinion from both sides.
thehill.com · 6 feeds on the live wireBritish public broadcaster held to impartiality rules; U.S. coverage straight and sourced.
bbc.com · 6 feeds on the live wireDeliberately even tone, explanatory and sourced across viewpoints.
csmonitor.com · 2 feeds on the live wireHigh volume news with a mix of left and right sources and contributors.
newsweek.com · 1 feed on the live wireNews pages straight and business focused; the right leaning editorial page is kept out of this feed.
wsj.com · 3 feeds on the live wireShort, sourced items with little framing.
axios.com · 1 feed on the live wireBusiness news first, politics through markets and money.
cnbc.com · 3 feeds on the live wireCable news built around a stated aim of balance.
newsnationnow.com · 1 feed on the live wireMostly wire copy from the Associated Press and Reuters.
usnews.com · Cited in written summariesPolitical news on Israel and Jewish communities, reported across both parties.
jewishinsider.com · Cited in written summariesLocal television stations and papers, rated together as straight local news.
Cited in written summariesRight 12 outlets
News desk framing and story choice right of center; prime time commentary conservative.
foxnews.com · 7 feeds on the live wireTabloid news with a conservative editorial line and story choice.
nypost.com · 5 feeds on the live wireConservative magazine and news site; reporting right of center, opinion openly conservative.
washingtonexaminer.com · 1 feed on the live wireConservative daily; story choice and framing right of center.
washingtontimes.com · 2 feeds on the live wireConservative outlet mixing news and commentary.
dailywire.com · 1 feed on the live wirePopulist right; framing and story choice openly conservative.
breitbart.com · 1 feed on the live wireConservative commentary and reporting.
thefederalist.com · 1 feed on the live wire · mostly opinionThe conservative movement's magazine of argument; mostly opinion.
nationalreview.com · 1 feed on the live wire · mostly opinionConservative news site; framing and choice right of center.
dailycaller.com · 1 feed on the live wireConservative cable and web news.
newsmax.com · 1 feed on the live wireLibertarian magazine; right of center on economics, often left of the right on social issues.
reason.com · 1 feed on the live wire · mostly opinionJewish News Syndicate; Israel coverage right of center.
jns.org · Cited in written summaries