Keep Factually independent
Whether you agree or disagree with our analysis, these conversations matter for democracy. We don't take money from political groups - even a $5 donation helps us keep it that way.
Which US media outlets are commonly perceived as left leaning or right leaning?
Executive summary
Major third-party trackers and surveys show reasonably consistent patterns: Fox News and other conservative outlets are widely perceived as right‑leaning, while The New York Times, MSNBC, NPR and similar outlets are commonly seen as left‑leaning; independent ratings sites like AllSides and Ad Fontes place many outlets along a left‑center‑right spectrum and Pew/YouGov polling documents partisan trust gaps [1] [2] [3]. Ratings use different methods—crowd surveys, expert panels, reliability scoring and audience trust—so specific labels can vary by methodology [1] [4] [5].
1. How major outlets are typically categorized: the short list
Across media‑bias charts and public polling, a familiar set of names reappears: Fox News and Breitbart are widely identified with the right; CNN, The New York Times, NPR and MSNBC appear on lists and polls as favored or trusted by Democrats and often described as left‑leaning; broadcast network news, AP and PBS sit closer to center or center‑left in many trackers [1] [2] [5]. AllSides explicitly publishes bias ratings for hundreds of outlets to give users a quick left/center/right signal [1].
2. Why different lists sometimes disagree: methods matter
Different projects use different methods. AllSides emphasizes blind surveys, editorial reviews and crowd input to place outlets on its chart [1]. Ad Fontes combines left‑right and reliability scoring with analyst reviews and updates its Media Bias Chart twice yearly [4]. University library guides and college resource pages often synthesize those third‑party ratings and Pew/YouGov trust polling, which measure audience perceptions rather than editorial practice [5] [3]. Because methods—surveys, expert panels, automated scoring—differ, the same outlet can be “center” in one list and “lean left” in another [1] [4] [5].
3. What polls add: who trusts which outlets
Pew Research Center and YouGov polling document partisan trust gaps that map onto perceived leanings: Republicans heavily favor Fox News and distrust many outlets Democrats trust, while Democrats more often trust CNN, the three broadcast networks, PBS, BBC, AP, NPR, The New York Times and MSNBC [2] [3]. Those trust measures reflect audiences’ views more than formal editorial ratings, but they show how perception and consumption are polarized [2] [3].
4. Nuance: “bias” vs. “trust” vs. “reliability”
Libraries and media‑literacy guides emphasize that bias ratings are not direct measures of factual accuracy; charts often separate political leaning from reliability. AllSides warns its chart does not measure accuracy or completeness by itself, and other projects like Ad Fontes explicitly score reliability alongside partisan tilt [1] [4] [6]. Academic summaries note that conservative and progressive media ecosystems operate differently—researchers have documented segmentation in citation networks and audience effects [7].
5. Examples of third‑party classifications to consult
If you want concrete, cited lists, start with AllSides’ Media Bias Chart for left/center/right labels and methodology [1]. Ad Fontes’ Media Bias Chart gives a two‑axis view (bias + reliability) and an archive showing changes over time [4]. University library guides often compile these tools with context and caveats [5] [6].
6. What to watch for: agendas and limitations
All rating projects have implicit goals—AllSides aims to “make media bias transparent,” Ad Fontes to measure both bias and reliability, and polling outfits to measure trust among audiences—so each bears institutional priorities that shape outcomes [1] [4] [3]. Media scholars warn against treating any single chart as definitive; network analyses and academic work find structural patterns (segregation, feedback loops) but also note differences in how mainstream and partisan outlets enforce reputational checks [7].
7. Practical takeaway: how to use these labels responsibly
Use multiple sources: compare an outlet’s AllSides label, Ad Fontes placement, and partisan‑trust polling to see convergence or divergence [1] [4] [2]. Remember that audience perception (trust) and editorial tilt (bias rating) are related but distinct metrics; neither wholly captures accuracy or quality [3] [4]. If a single outlet’s classification matters for a decision, check methodology pages on AllSides and Ad Fontes and look at recent Pew/YouGov trust data for partisan context [1] [4] [3].
Available sources do not mention one universally authoritative “left list” or “right list” that every organization agrees on; instead, the landscape is best understood through multiple, transparently‑methodologized tools and partisan trust surveys [1] [4] [2].