A report from the Media Research Center analyzed coverage in the Big Four news apps—Apple News, Google News, Microsoft’s MSN, and Yahoo News—finding a strong preference for left-leaning outlets. The study, covering 106 days from Halloween to Valentine’s Day, showed right-leaning sources receiving minimal visibility. Platforms featured thousands of stories, with disparities in outlet representation.
The Media Research Center's research examined how Apple News, Google News, Microsoft’s MSN, and Yahoo News promote content, focusing on a period from Halloween to Valentine’s Day, spanning 106 days.
Google News promoted 1,757 stories during this time, with approximately 70% from left-leaning outlets, 29% from centrist sources, and just 2% from right-leaning media. It featured 215 stories from The New York Times, compared to 122 from CNN and 105 from the BBC. This default presence on millions of Android and Samsung devices amplifies its reach.
Apple News highlighted the Washington Post 109 times, alongside NBC News (89), Reuters (86), and the Associated Press (85). Among AllSides-rated outlets, it included 75% left-leaning and 25% centrist sources, with no right-leaning outlets featured.
Microsoft’s MSN published 316 stories from Newsweek and overall allocated 53% of attention to left-leaning outlets, 37% to centrist, and 10% to right-leaning ones, reflecting its broad desktop presence.
Yahoo News, which attracts over 200 million monthly views, promoted 1,715 stories, including 269 from its in-house reporting that leaned left. It featured 88% left-leaning outlets, 6% centrist, and 6% right-leaning, often highlighting smaller outlets such as Buzzfeed, Salon, the New Republic, Rolling Stone, Huffington Post, and Mediaite.
Defenders of the platforms maintain they prioritize mainstream outlets for reliability. The report notes Gallup polling indicating historically low trust in national media. Federal regulators are reviewing whether tech platforms restrict media competition, and Congress is urged to investigate Big Tech's influence on news visibility.
Dan Schneider, Vice President for Free Speech at the Media Research Center, authored the analysis.