Interactive Media Bias Chart

An interactive data visualization tool that displays ratings of news (and “news-like”) articles and sources generated by our analysts and staff.

Explore features such as looking up individual sources and downloading your own custom versions of the Media Bias Chart with the sources you want to see.

Ad Fontes Media is a public benefit corporation with a mission to make news consumers smarter and news media better.

This is a tall order, because we have a big problem in our news media landscape: too much junk news. Junk news is like junk food, and just like junk food has caused massive health epidemics in our country, junk news is causing a massive polarization epidemic.

We are optimistic that together, we can rise to this challenge. It is imperative that we do.

A problem this big requires a multi-pronged solution and participation from all the stakeholders in good journalism. Our focus is on the following:

We rate news content for reliability and bias and provide products and services for the following stakeholders:

News Consumers

To help them navigate the current complex media landscape and make healthy news choices.

At Ad Fontes, we use a rigorous, non-partisan methodology to analyze and rate news for overall reliability and bias. From this foundation, we build the Media Bias Chart, offer courses in our methodology, and create companion resources to help you navigate today’s complex media landscape.

Educators

To help teach critical thinking and news literacy and strengthen our democracy.

Given the complex fluctuations of the news landscape, students need to learn to recognize reliability and bias themselves. Our SUMMA News Literacy curricula are low-cost, easy-to-use educational solutions that teach students how to use the same proven methodology we use at Ad Fontes Media.

Marketers

To help keep their brands safe by supporting good journalism and avoiding junk news.

Brand managers are increasingly concerned about the role advertisers have played in the rise of polarizing news and the struggles of quality journalism outlets.  Polarizing content often turns extreme and offensive, causing consumer boycotts and negative brand perception. Today, 43% of media buyers say they avoid news content entirely,* which hurts quality news publishers who keep the public informed. Through our Ad Apex™ line of products and services, Ad Fontes Media assists brands that want to support good journalism and avoid junk news.

*Source: Digiday

Researchers

To help select sources that warrant confidence and stand up to critical review.

Students, scholars, librarians, think-tanks, and independent researchers often rely on news media for their work. Given the massive and fluctuating supply of news and news-like input, it is often difficult to discern which sources are most dependable when subjected to critical review. Our source analysis is rooted in a proven methodology and a continuously growing set of data, which we make available through the Media Bias Chart and by API access. We also provide custom content analysis for researchers seeking scores for a specific set of sources.

To see how it works, click here.

Publishers

To help assess content and improve trust with consumers.

Today consumer confidence in news media is at historically low levels. Simultaneously, more news and news-like sources are emerging – often overtly questioning the reliability of quality sources, and exacerbating the crisis of confidence. The best sources welcome honest and rigorous critical feedback, including independent audits of their content by politically diverse, credentialed news analysts. We welcome opportunities to provide these services, and we offer certification for the very best publishers, whether left-leaning, right-leaning, or centrist.