Media Reliability

Ad Fontes Media created the Media Bias Chart in response to an increase in misinformation and polarization in media. The public benefit corporation’s goal is to provide ratings for media to help advertisers and consumers identify trustworthy sources, access reliable facts and better navigate the media landscape. The AAM chart exclusively features AAM-audited publishers.

Ad Fontes selects a sample of a news source’s content over various news cycles. Each piece is rated individually by a panel of analysts representing right, left and center political viewpoints. The ratings are discussed by the panel and averaged to generate scores for both reliability and political bias. Learn more about the chart’s methodology at Ad Fontes Media.

The AAM chart includes AAM-audited print and digital publishers. The goal is to include all AAM-audited publishers. Publishers that participate in certification will be prioritized for inclusion. The Ad Fontes Media Bias Chart lists additional news sources including print, digital, broadcast, CTV, video and podcasts.

AAM supplies a list of AAM-audited publishers to Ad Fontes to rate for reliability and political media bias. Ad Fontes compiles these ratings to create a chart listing AAM publishers. AAM does not audit the ratings and data provided by Ad Fontes.

Advertisers can use the chart to create inclusion lists based on publishers’ bias and reliability ratings. This helps advertisers support reliable and trustworthy news sources while safeguarding their brands.

The chart can be accessed on this page and in AAM’s Media Intelligence Center. Users can perform up to five complimentary interactions with the chart per day. Ad Fontes also offers paid access tiers for additional data availability on its data platform.

Ad Fontes continuously reviews sources and rates new content. The AAM chart is updated in real-time as soon as new sources are added, so check back often to see what new publisher ratings are available.

Ad Fontes offers a certification that demonstrates that publishers adhere to the highest standards of credibility, reliability and transparency. Ad Fontes uses the same methodology as a basic content analysis, but the certification process is more comprehensive and covers a longer period. News sources that participate in the certification and receive a reliability score of 40 or greater will become certified for one year. Once certified, publishers can display the Ad Fontes Certified badge in their marketing materials to show their commitment to producing quality, impartial journalism. Certification also guarantees a publisher’s inclusion on the Ad Fontes charts.

Visit Ad Fontes’ website or contact Ad Fontes Media to learn more about either program or fill out the form below.