Your media bias assignment

It may be more important now than ever before — Americans should be informed and know the political biases of their news sources. Do you try to check a variety of sources across the political spectrum, or do you read only those sources that you agree with and thus reinforce your confirmation bias? I’m not asking because I want to know; I’m asking because you should know.

This is the May 2023 version of the Media Bias Chart from Ad Fontes Media, Inc. It combines web and print media:

This chart, issued in January, includes podcasts in the mix:

And then there’s an “Interactive Media Bias Chart” including hundreds of news sources and their political positions/leanings so you can see where your favorites stand. Or perhaps find new ones to consult. Of necessity on the full chart, the majority of sources appear only as gray dots. Go to adfontes.com to explore the interactive chart in detail. To the left of the chart you can look up several sources for free, but the complete map is a paid option.

There’s a lot to see on the Ad Fontes site, including all the media bias charts from previous years and several subscription options. Among the things I discovered is that Ad Fontes is based in Lafayette, Colo., just a few miles up the road from me. Fitting, perhaps, that they are based in this very purple state.

But, you may ask, who’s to say Ad Fontes itself is neutral and unbiased? Who’s to say their methodology is the best?

At least one other source, AllSides, uses a different approach:

No doubt there are more news rating systems out there. Ad Fontes appears to me to be the most extensive and well established, but I’ll leave it to you to do your own homework.

You have your assignment.