Since 2022, AllSides has been auditing major news aggregators for bias, including Google News, Bing News, Apple News, and Yahoo! News — and has found the majority of news aggregators analyzed have a bias on the left.

Most news aggregators curate primarily from media outlets with an AllSides Media Bias Rating of Lean Left or Left, and most curate less than 10% of articles from news outlets rated Lean Right or Right. The new AllSides News Aggregator Bias Chart™ displays the findings.
 

Google News curated 63% of news articles from liberal media outlets in 2023, an increase from 61% in 2022. In the days leading up to the 2022 midterm elections, the term “election” returned zero results from Center-, Lean Right-, or Right-rated outlets. 

Of all news aggregators audited, Bing News showed the most bias, with 83% of articles from media outlets on the left.

Aside from AllSides’ own balanced news offerings (which curates 33% from the left, 33% from the center, 34% from the right), the only only other balanced news aggregator was RealClearPolitics (Center), which curated 32% from the left, 22% from the center, and 35% from the right.

Most aggregators source from legacy media outlets that lean left, like CNN, AP, The New York Times, and The Washington Post. Two things are true: 1) popular, legacy media outlets tend to be aggregated more, and 2) legacy outlets tend to lean left.

Here is a breakdown of all the findings. 

Google News Curates 63% of Articles from Outlets on the Left

In 2023, AllSides found 63% of Google News articles presented were from media outlets on the left and just 6% were from outlets on the right. In 2022, 61% of media outlets were from the left, and just 3% were from the right; 25% were from the center.

The search term “election” returned no results from Center-, Lean Right- or Right-rated media outlets in the days leading up to the 2022 midterm elections. In 2023, the search term “election” showed 63% of results from Lean Left and Left-rated outlets and only 10% from outlets on the right.

In the 2023 analysis, AllSides analyzed 974 articles presented on Google News’ homepage and in search results during a 2-week period in October and November. In the 2022 analysis, AllSides analyzed 151 articles during a 5-day period in October and November.



RELATED: Has Google News’ Bias Moved Further Left? Comparing 2022 and 2023

Bing News Curates 0% of Articles from Outlets on the Right, 83% from Outlets on the Left

In 2023, AllSides found 83% of Bing News articles were from media outlets on the left, 13% were from sources in the center, and 0% were from sources on the right. 

In the 2023 analysis, AllSides analyzed 415 articles presented on Bing News’ homepage over a two-week period in March 2023. 

Apple News Curates 1% of Articles from Outlets on the Right, 53% from Outlets on the Left

In 2023 AllSides found Apple News curated 53% of articles from media outlets AllSides rates as on the left, 25% from the Center, and just 1% from the right. The rest (21%) were not rated by AllSides. The analysis looked at 252 articles published to Apple News’ Top Stories and Trending Stories sections over a three-week period in June and July 2023.
 

Yahoo News Curates 65% of Articles from Outlets on the Left; 5% from the Right

In 2022, an AllSides analysis of Yahoo! News found 65% of articles were from media outlets AllSides rates on the left and just 5% were from outlets AllSides rates on the right; 5% were from the Center. 

55% of the top 15 stories featured on Yahoo! News’ homepage were from outlets rated on the left (Left, Lean Left), while just 1% were from outlets on the right (Right, Lean Right).

The analysis was conducted during a 10-day period from April to May 2022 and analyzed 588 articles published by Yahoo! News.

Newsbreak Curates 80% of Articles from Outlets on the Left

A 2023 AllSides analysis found NewsBreak curates 80% of articles from Lean Left-rated outlets and just 8% were from news outlets on the right in their “National News” section.

The analysis took place over 20-day period in Sept. 2023 and examines 210 articles.

SmartNews Curates 2% of Articles from Outlets on the Right, 56% from Outlets on the Left

In 2023, an AllSides analysis found 56% of articles were from media outlets on the left, 32% from the center, and just 2% on the right.

The analysis analyzed 497 articles presented on SmartNews’ “Politics”, “U.S.”, “World”, and “SmartTake” sections over a two-week period in Oct. and Nov. 2023.

Drudge Report Curates 10% of Articles from Outlets on the Right, 49% from Outlets on the Left

In 2023, an AllSides analysis of Drudge Report found 49% of articles came from sources AllSides rates as on the left and 10% from sources on the right. 26% were from the Center. 

 

While Drudge Report curates mostly from outlets on the left, it alter its headlines and chooses stories appealing to the right, so AllSides has rated them Center (+0.93), close to Lean Right.

The analysis took place during a two-week period in April and May 2023 and analyzed 280 articles that appeared on Drudge Report’s homepage.

The results of the analysis prompted an Editorial Review of Drudge; the multipartisan panel determined that although the majority of stories on Drudge Report were from sources on the left, the headlines and story choices were often appealing to a right-wing audience. Reviewers noted that the headlines Drudge Report presented were often sensational; reviewers on the left and center noted that Drudge Report seemed anti-establishment, anti-Biden, anti-Elon Musk, anti-Trump, but pro-LGBT and pro-Desantis. 

RealClearPolitics is Balanced: 32% of Articles Were from Outlets on the Left; 35% of Articles Were from Outlets on the Right

A 2023 AllSides analysis of RealClearPolitics found 32% were from sources AllSides rates as on the left and 35% were from sources on the right; 22% were from the Center. 

The analysis took place during a two-week period in Jan. 2023 and analyzed 622 curated articles that appeared on RCP’s homepage.

AllSides is the Most Balanced Choice

A 2023 AllSides analysis of our own site found that AllSides curated 33% of articles from outlets on the left, 33% from outlets in the center, and 34% from outlets on the right. 

The analysis took place over three weeks from August and September and analyzed 252 articles. 

Most News Aggregators Show Bias

News aggregators may be appealing because they appear to provide multiple sources, but that does not always mean balanced perspectives. Readers should not assume that just because an aggregator curates from a variety of sources that they are getting the full view or being presented with diverse perspectives to think for themselves. When news sources are not transparent about their bias, it can further polarize our democratic society, communities, and families. 

AllSides Media Bias Ratings™ reflect the average judgment of all Americans, not just a panel of insiders. Ratings are driven by a balance of input from experts and ordinary people across the political spectrum to reveal the average judgment of Americans. AllSides uses multiple methodologies to rate bias, including Editorial Reviews and Blind Bias Surveys of Americans.

Please contact AllSides for inquiries about news aggregator bias analyses.

Clare Ashcraft, Center Bias, is the Bridging & Bias Specialist at AllSides.
Visuals by Andrew Weinzierl, Bias Research Manager & Data Journalist (Lean Left bias). Reviewed by Julie Mastrine, Director of Marketing and Media Bias Ratings (Lean Right).

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