Media ratings firm heavily favors left-leaning outlets over conservative journalism, influencing your news site preferences.

A Media Ratings Firm⁣ Heavily Favors​ Left-Leaning Outlets, Watchdog Group Finds

A well-funded media ratings firm, in partnership with Big Tech giant Meta, has ⁣been found to heavily favor Left-leaning ⁤media outlets while giving poor grades to conservative media, according to a media watchdog group.

The firm, called Ad Fontes, was founded in 2018 as a media analysis organization and is known​ for its ⁣”Media Bias Chart,” which rates over 3,000 media outlets on bias and accuracy. Ad Fontes claims to reach ​a non-partisan result by having three reviewers with differing ideological leanings, but the watchdog group ⁤discovered that the reviewers​ agree on a single score for a news outlet “99% of the time.”

Ad Fontes recently gained media attention⁣ after publishing ‍its latest media bias chart and appearing on Fox 5 Washington, ⁣D.C. to promote its ⁤ratings. However, the Media Research Center found that Ad Fontes has its own⁣ bias problem.

The watchdog’s study revealed ​that Ad Fontes gave reliable marks to​ 64%‌ of ⁤Left-leaning media outlets, while only giving the same label to 32% of Right-leaning outlets.

“This so-called media literacy firm seems to have worked ⁣overtime to make its rating system look benevolent, ⁣but when you look deeper into the real data, it’s⁤ not. The​ chart offered to students and advertisers is clearly deceptive ​and tailor-made‍ to create a veneer of objectivity,” said MRC ‌Free Speech America Vice President Dan​ Schneider.

Most mainstream outlets labeled as Left-leaning by Ad Fontes, including CNN, ‌ABC, CBS, NBC, and The New York Times, received reliability grades above 40 on a 64-point scale.⁣ On the other‍ hand, Right-leaning outlets such as Fox News, The Washington Examiner, The Daily⁤ Wire, and Newsmax received less flattering reliability ratings.

Ad Fontes also gave The Washington Post a reliability rating of 38.37, while “The Ben ‍Shapiro Show” scored one of the lowest ratings ‍at ⁣24.61.

“No honest American believes the Washington Post is reliable while Ben Shapiro and the Daily Wire are not to be trusted. Ad Fontes’ whole ranking system is a lie aimed at telling‍ Americans to trust the leftist media and not to trust anyone on the right,”⁣ said Brent Bozell, founder and president of the ⁢Media Research Center.

Ad Fontes’ bias may​ stem from the political ⁤views of its own leadership. One of the firm’s top advisers, ​Brad Berens, actively supports Left-wing causes and Democratic candidates. However, ‌Ad Fontes founder Vanessa Otero claims that Berens is not ‍involved⁣ in the day-to-day operations or ​analysis of individual articles.

Despite criticism from both the Right and the Left, Otero ⁣maintains that Ad Fontes is trying to mitigate biases as⁤ much as possible. ​The firm rates NPR News Now as the most reliable and least biased news reporting overall, while The ‍Wall Street Journal is considered the ⁣most reliable on the Right.

“The nature ⁢of this work is that we’re going to get criticism from both sides. You know, it’s important ​to us. We receive it, especially when it’s in good faith,” said Otero.

However, the Media Research Center’s findings suggest that Ad Fontes’ rating system may not be as objective as it claims, raising​ concerns about its influence on students and advertisers.

‌ How does Ad ⁤Fontes determine bias and accuracy in its ratings, and what ⁤criticisms has it faced regarding its methodology?

Aid ‌Sara Fischer, a media reporter at Axios and one of the authors of the Media Research Center’s report.

Ad Fontes has also‍ faced criticism for its methodology in determining bias and accuracy. The watchdog group found that the firm ⁣often labeled media outlets as biased⁢ without providing ⁢clear evidence to support its claims. Additionally, Ad Fontes ‍relies heavily on subjective evaluations⁣ rather than objective criteria.

“We ​found that Ad Fontes often uses vague‌ language and subjective assessments to label ​media outlets as either leaning left or leaning right. This lack of transparency and objectivity undermines the credibility of⁢ their ‍ratings,” said Fischer.

The media watchdog group also pointed out that ​Ad Fontes has⁣ close ⁤ties to Big Tech giant‍ Meta, formerly known as Facebook. The firm received a grant from Meta in 2019, which⁤ has raised concerns about potential bias in its ratings.

“The fact that Ad Fontes has received funding and support from Meta raises questions about the independence and impartiality of its ratings. It is crucial for media ratings firms to maintain objectivity and not be⁢ influenced⁤ by external forces,” Fischer explained.

The⁣ influence of media ratings firms, like Ad Fontes, cannot be underestimated. Their ratings are often used by advertisers, educators, and the general public to make decisions about which media outlets to ⁢trust and​ engage with.

“Media ratings firms play a crucial role in providing information ⁤about the bias and accuracy of media outlets. However, it is imperative that these firms⁣ maintain transparency, ⁤objectivity,​ and independence in their ratings. The public relies on accurate and unbiased information to make informed ⁢decisions,” Fischer emphasized.

The Media Research Center’s report raises important questions about Ad Fontes and its methodology. It calls for greater transparency and accountability‍ from ​media ratings firms to ensure that their ratings are fair, objective, and unbiased.

“In an era ⁢of⁤ increasing polarization and ⁤misinformation, it is essential that media⁣ ratings firms uphold the highest standards of integrity and accuracy. The public deserves access to reliable and unbiased information. Media ratings firms have a duty to fulfill this responsibility,” concluded Fischer.

As the ⁤debate about media bias and trust continues, it is crucial ⁤for media consumers to be⁢ discerning and critical when evaluating the credibility and reliability of media ratings. By seeking diverse perspectives⁣ and fact-checking information, individuals can make informed decisions⁤ about the ⁤media outlets they engage with.

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