Bias in the news, or media bias, is not the same thing as "fake news." Everyone has biases, including journalists and news outlets — and that's okay!
However, some news outlets do a better job of balancing fact and opinion. While it's not possible to avoid all bias in your news, you can avoid outlets that exhibit extreme bias, and read news from different perspectives to round out your understanding of a topic or issue.
The charts below can help you get a sense of the political biases of major U.S. news outlets.
This chart from AllSides Media displays the political leanings of major U.S. news outlets. Keep in mind that this chart does NOT measure accuracy of reporting, only political bias.
This chart shows both political leaning AND accuracy. News outlets that appear lower down on the chart are less reliable and may regularly publish misinformation, while news outlets higher up on the chart are more reliable and report mostly facts and/or well-researched analysis.
To look up specific news outlets or browse rankings more easily, use their interactive media chart:
Just because an article is published in a newspaper doesn't mean the article is actually reporting news. Even the most reputable news outlets publish opinion articles alongside their news articles—and it can be difficult to tell the difference, especially online!
Here are some signs to look for that may indicate you're reading someone's opinion, not a factual news report:
Source: Poynter