What percentage of local news stations are owned by conservative-leaning companies in 2025?

1. Big players, big influence: who the sources point to

The names that recur across reporting are major conglomerates and billionaire-backed groups that either have conservative reputations or are described in reporting as moving rightward; Sinclair Broadcast Group is repeatedly identified as the largest owner of local TV stations and as having a conservative slant to its programming, with expansion plans in 2025 tied to anticipated deregulation ^{[2] [3]}. Broader reporting also describes Trump-friendly billionaires and groups pursuing control of major media assets, which observers say could shift editorial lines ^{[4] [5]}.

2. No single percentage in the coverage — why the number is missing

None of the provided sources offers a clear, up‑to‑date percentage of all local news stations owned by conservative-leaning companies in 2025. Some pieces give historical data points on consolidation (e.g., five big companies controlled 37% of stations as of 2016) or profile individual companies’ reach, but they stop short of producing an overall 2025 share attributable to firms described as conservative-leaning ^{[1] [2]}. Therefore, a precise percentage cannot be sourced from the material you provided (not found in current reporting).

3. Definitions matter: “conservative-leaning” and “local news stations”

The sources illustrate that how you define both terms changes the result. “Conservative-leaning” may refer to explicit editorial slant, ownership with known conservative ties, or corporate decisions and personnel that shift coverage; Sinclair is cited as conservative-leaning because of recurring critiques of its news programming and management ties ^{[3] [2]}. “Local news stations” can mean local TV affiliates, independent local channels, or radio outlets — and different owners dominate different segments. The Stanford analysis cited uses broad company ownership shares to link consolidation with ideological slant, but does not map every station to an ideological category ^[1].

4. What the available data and reporting do show

Available reporting documents consolidation trends and political influence efforts: media consolidation has concentrated local station ownership (37% controlled by five companies in 2016), and studies argue ownership affects content, sometimes shifting coverage toward national politics and owner preferences ^[1]. Coverage of 2025 transactions and political pressure highlights active efforts by conservative groups and owners to deregulate and acquire assets ^{[6] [4]}. Media critics and watchdogs are explicitly worried about companies like Sinclair using transactions and “sidecar” arrangements to expand influence ^[3].

5. Competing perspectives in the sources

Some reporting and company statements push back against a simple “conservative takeover” narrative. Sinclair executives have disputed charges of an overall conservative agenda and described their newscasts as “pretty balanced,” arguing critics interpret their decisions through partisan lenses ^[3]. On the other hand, investigative outlets and critics portray recent purchases and deregulatory pushes as part of an organized expansion by right-leaning interests ^{[5] [4]}. Law360 documents nearly two dozen right-leaning groups pressing the FCC for deregulation in 2025, a policy move favorable to consolidation ^[6].

6. What a thorough answer would require (and how to get it)

Producing a defensible 2025 percentage would require: a clear operational definition of “conservative-leaning,” a comprehensive list of U.S. local news stations (by medium), and a station-by-station ownership and ideological assessment as of 2025. None of the supplied sources provides that dataset; instead they offer profiles, historical consolidation figures, and investigative claims about specific owners and industry trends ^{[1] [2] [3]}. To get a precise percentage, consult industry databases or media-mapping studies (e.g., FCC station ownership filings, academic content-analysis projects, or RAND/PEW-style media inventories) not included here.

7. Bottom line for readers

Current reporting in your documents documents consolidation and identifies influential conservative-leaning owners and buyers (Sinclair and Trump-aligned billionaire activity are prominent examples), and scholars link ownership to content shifts — but a single, sourced figure for “percentage of local news stations owned by conservative-leaning companies in 2025” is not provided in these materials ^{[3] [1] [4]}. If you want that exact percentage, the next step is to request or consult a station-level ownership dataset or a 2025 content/ownership survey that classifies stations by ideological alignment.