Media Bias/Fact Check (MBFC) is a website that classifies media outlets based on ideological leanings, factual basis, and reporting. MBFC is independently funded and founded by Dave Van Zandt, ¹ a former president of the left-of-center private liberal arts university The New School. ^{2 3}

Structure

Media Bias/Fact Check is a limited liability company (LLC) and website owned solely by its founder, Dave Van Zandt. ¹

As of December 2024, MBFC has no paid employees, but has five volunteers. According to its website, no listed personnel nor volunteers are professional journalists. ¹

Funding

According to its website in January 2025, MDFC generates 65 percent of its revenue from membership fees, which are $5 per month or $50 per year. The organization claims to generate 35 percent of its revenue from advertising and five percent from donations from individuals. MSFC claims to not accept donations from for-profit corporations or nonprofit foundations. ⁴

Methodology

Media Bias/Fact Check (MBFC) claims to rank and evaluate media outlets based on ideological leanings, accuracy of reporting, and its own reporting. The website ranks each outlet on a “left-to-right” axis with seven points: from “extreme left” to “extreme right” with “least biased” in the center. As of December 2024, MBFC rated CNN “left,” Fox News near “extreme right,” and Reuters left of “least biased.” Ratings are determined by four categories: “Biased Wording/Headlines,” “Factual/Sourcing,” “Story Choices,” and “Political Affiliation.” ⁵

The website ranks news outlet accuracy on a scale of zero to ten, with zero being the best score. MBFC claims that such evaluation is based on fact checks, transparency, source quality, and the presence of “conspiracy theories.” ^{5 1}

Artificial Intelligence Policy

Media Bias/Fact Check (MBFC) has previously claimed that its policy is to oppose the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the writing or reporting of any content on its website. In a statement, MBFC claims that “bias is unique to humans and that only humans can accurately determine bias. While AI is a powerful tool with great potential, it cannot replicate a human’s ability to read between the lines and interpret intent.” ⁶

Criticism

In 2018, the Poynter Institute for Media Studies claimed that the media bias reporting methodology used by Media Bias/Fact Check (MBFC) was “in no way scientific.” ⁷

In 2017, media outlet Just Facts published an article disputing its ranking with MBFC while claiming the site attempted to avoid criticism by claiming the ranking was written by an employee who had since left the organization. ⁸ As of December 2024, MBFC gives Just Facts a “Right-Center” ideological rating and a “Mixed” factual rating. ⁹

Leadership

In 2015, Media Bias/Fact Check was founded by Dave Van Zandt. Van Zandt worked as the president of the New School, a left-of-center liberal arts university in New York City, from 2011 to 2020. Previously, he worked as the dean of the Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law from 1995 to 2011. Van Zandt is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. ¹¹

1. “Frequently Asked Questions.” Media Bias/Fact Check. Accessed December 23, 2024. https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/frequently-asked-questions/.
2. “About David E. Van Zandt.” The New School. Accessed December 23, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20170708105458/http://www.newschool.edu/university-president/about-david-van-zandt/.
3. “Membership Roster.” Media Bias/Fact Check. Accessed December 23, 2024. https://www.cfr.org/membership/roster.
4. “Funding.” Media Bias/Fact Check. Accessed December 23, 2024. https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/funding/.
5. “Methodology.” Media Bias/Fact Check. Accessed December 23, 2024. https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/methodology/.
6. “About.” Media Bias/Fact Check. Accessed December 23, 2024. https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/about/.
7. Funke, Daniel; Mantzarlis, Alexios. “Here’s what to expect from fact-checking in 2019.” Poynter. December 18, 2018. Accessed December 23, 2024. https://www.poynter.org/fact-checking/2018/heres-what-to-expect-from-fact-checking-in-2019/.
8. Agresti, James D. “Media Bias Fact Check: Incompetent or Dishonest?.” JustFactsDaily. April 24, 2017. Accessed December 23, 2024. https://www.justfactsdaily.com/media-bias-fact-check-incompetent-or-dishonest.
9. “Just Facts – Bias and Credibility.” Media Bias/ Fact Check. Accessed December 23, 2024. https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/just-facts/.
11. ^[1] “About David E. Van Zandt.” The New School. Accessed December 23, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20170708105458/http://www.newschool.edu/university-president/about-david-van-zandt/.[/note ¹⁰ “Membership Roster.” Media Bias/Fact Check. Accessed December 23, 2024. https://www.cfr.org/membership/roster.