Media Research Center study claims news aggregators show left-leaning bias

A study by the Media Research Center (MRC) alleges that the ‘Big Four’ news aggregators—Apple News, Google News, Yahoo News, and Microsoft MSN—exhibit a significant left-leaning bias in their content promotion. The research suggests that approximately 58% of Americans receive their news through at least one of these platforms.

According to MRC leader David Bozell, an analysis of Apple News top feeds found that out of 620 stories, none were from right-wing news sources. The study also examined Google News, reporting that of 487 top stories analyzed last February, only 2.2% were right-leaning, while 64.5% were left-leaning and 33.3% were categorized as center.

A broader analysis conducted in April indicated that these apps promoted 92% left-leaning outlets compared to 17% right-leaning ones. Bozell noted that when right-leaning outlets were featured, they were often non-political stories. The report highlights a discrepancy in visibility, noting that NPR received frequent links from Apple and Google, while high-traffic conservative sites like the New York Post and Breitbart received significantly less promotion.