If I was running a cable news network – and I’m really thinking of CNN, really the only one I watch – I would create a daily program to investigate the claims made on social media, notably on YouTube.
I suspect that part of the misalignment news-and-public-policy-interested people feel with the traditional news media is they watch videos and read articles on alternative media outlets (YouTube) that they typically do not see reported on mainstream media.
I wouldn’t argue that the alternative media outlets are “better” at news investigations than the mainstream media, but the very fact of their existence impacts public perceptions, and for that reason alone they should not go ignored.
It seems possible that having a mainstream media focus on alternative media could help to quell mis- or disinformation before it becomes mainstreamed into the public consciousness and accepted, either as truth, or as evidence supporting a certain type of viewer bias.
I think it is probable that mainstream media outlets are positioned to critically examine the alternative outlets because the algorithms that determine what internet users see and hear make it really hard for internet truth seekers to escape the echo chamber that plays to their preconceived notions.
I got a good taste of this digital manipulation when I decided to explore the alternative media outlets. I started making a list of those that show up in my YouTube feed – you know how the algorithms log your search history and then focus the list of videos you see to the types you have watched before – and realized that they are almost all progressive or left-leaning outlets.
I searched for right-leaning sites and found it really difficult to come up with YouTube channels catering to that side of the political spectrum, and yet I know they are out there.
I began to use a couple different AI products to explore the various news and commentary alternative media, first asking if there was some accepted measure of “legitimacy” in the news gathering and reporting world. There are organizations that monitor these outlets, including: Ground News, Ad Fontes Media, AllSides, and Media Bias/Fact Check.
They seem to base their truth-in-reporting ratings on four measures:
• Whether they are considered as either opinion/commentary platforms (which focus on political analysis, interviews, and commentary) or non-profit/investigative newsrooms (which focus on primary research, FOIA requests, and original reporting).
• Audience Reach & Media Presence. They base this on subscriber counts, streaming audience size, and influence in digital media.
• Journalistic Industry Recognition: Recognition within the industry for strict standards of original investigative reporting.
• Affiliation and Perspective Transparency: Explicit organizational affiliations and dominant editorial viewpoints (e.g., progressive, conservative, non-partisan/data-driven, or populist).
THE HEAVY ALTS
The most-popular alternative media outlets are:
• The Daily Wire: A conservative news and opinion platform co-founded by Ben Shapiro, Jeremy Boreing, and Seth Dillon. It features shows hosted by Shapiro, Matt Walsh, and Michael Knowles, focusing on right-leaning cultural and political commentary.
• Substack: A direct-to-reader publishing platform hosting independent journalists, analysts, and commentators across the political spectrum. Prominent authors include Matt Taibbi, Bari Weiss (The Free Press), and Glenn Greenwald.
• The Young Turks (TYT): A progressive online news and commentary network founded by Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian, operating primarily via YouTube and digital streaming platforms.
• Breaking Points: An independent political news and commentary show hosted by Krystal Ball and Saagar Enjeti, focusing on populist perspectives across both left and right viewpoints.
• The Joe Rogan Experience: An independent podcast hosted by Joe Rogan that features long-form interviews with scientists, journalists, political figures, and cultural commentators.
• The Tucker Carlson Network: An independent digital media venue founded by Tucker Carlson following his departure from Fox News, featuring interviews and commentary from a right-leaning/populist perspective.
• Democracy Now!: An independent daily news program hosted by Amy Goodman and Juan González, presenting progressive viewpoints, international coverage, and grassroots movements.
That group of popular sites are pretty transparent in their political leanings, showing that point-of-view journalism (if you can call if journalism) is the most compelling and popular form of “news” entertainment. Any one of those outlets is going to give viewers a perspective from either the left or the right.
BORING GOOD GUYS
According to my AI search, there are alternative media outlets that conduct investigative research, document public records, and hold corporate and governmental power accountable. They are largely non-profit, reader-funded, or foundation-backed, and they include the following:
• ProPublica: An independent, non-profit newsroom focused on investigative journalism in the public interest, covering government abuse, corporate misconduct, and systemic issues.
• The Center for Investigative Reporting (Reveal): A non-profit organization producing investigative reporting across audio, digital, and print mediums.
• The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ): A global network of reporters collaborating on large-scale cross-border investigations, such as the Panama Papers and Pandora Papers.
• The Intercept: An investigative news outlet known for adversarial journalism focused on national security, surveillance, corporate power, and civil liberties.
• The Center for Public Integrity: A non-partisan, non-profit investigative newsroom investigating inequality and abuses of power.
• The Markup: A non-profit newsroom dedicated to data-driven investigative reporting on how technology impacts society.
• Mother Jones: A reader-supported non-profit news organization focused on investigative reporting regarding politics, the environment, and human rights.
LEGIT BUT SKEWED
Based on the criteria referenced above, the AI search returned the following as “legitimate” news gathering services, though each comes with its own political bias:
• MS NOW (formerly MSNBC) – Highly rated for fact-based reporting, but primarily recognized for its strong left-leaning political commentary rather than for neutral, objective reporting.
• The Bulwark – High-credibility political commentary publication, though it functions primarily as an opinion and analysis outlet rather than a traditional wire or straight-news reporting organization. Created as a platform for center-right, “Never-Trump” conservatives following the shutdown of The Weekly Standard.
• Novara Media – Functions explicitly as a left-wing political commentary and opinion outlet rather than a neutral, traditional news service. Rejects the concept of objective “neutrality” in traditional journalism, positioning itself as an alternative to mainstream British media institutions. Its editorial stance spans democratic socialism, anti-capitalism, and social democracy. Reporting is heavily selective and framed through a hyper-partisan lens to advance specific ideological arguments.
• The Daily Beast – Occupies a distinct niche focused on high-energy political reporting, investigative scoops, pop culture, and progressive commentary rather than standard straight-wire reporting. Often leans on loaded, snarky, or sensationalist language, reflecting an openly progressive editorial position that frequently criticizes conservative politicians and movements.
• Legal AF – Functions as an explicitly progressive opinion outlet rather than a neutral news reporting platform. While the hosts rarely state false legal facts, their legal predictions and characterizations are heavily filtered through an optimistic progressive lens, occasionally presenting best-case legal outcomes for Democrats or anti-Trump legal efforts as definitive.
• Zeteo – Operates explicitly as an alternative, progressive digital publisher and commentary platform rather than a neutral, traditional wire service.
• CBC News – The news division of Canada’s national public broadcaster (the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) operates on primary fact-based reporting while reflecting a slight left-of-center editorial slant.
• The Lincoln Project – Functions as a Super PAC and political advocacy organization rather than a neutral news gathering agency.
• Washington Week – Officially, Washington Week with The Atlantic, it focuses on institutional public affairs and journalism. Focused on sober political analysis rather than sensationalism.
• NewsNation – High-credibility national news network that aims to position itself as a neutral alternative to polarized cable news channels like Fox News and MSNBC.
• Simon Rosenberg – Political analyst and strategist, operates explicitly as a partisan Democratic commentator and blogger rather than a neutral, objective news reporter.
• MeidasTouch – Functions explicitly as a hyper-partisan, progressive advocacy platform rather than a traditional news organization.
• NPR (National Public Radio) – Operates as a primary source for both domestic and international news. NPR is viewed as a top-tier, authoritative media organization—on par with institutions like PBS, the BBC, or the Associated Press—offering high-credibility reporting alongside a slight left-of-center editorial frame.
• The Atlantic – Institutional magazine and news platform, occupying a prominent role in American cultural and political journalism. Top-tier publication—similar to The New Yorker or The Economist—that focuses on intellectual long-form journalism and analysis with a moderate left-of-center editorial slant.
• Lincoln Square (Lincoln Square Media) – Functions explicitly as a partisan, pro-democracy political commentary platform rather than an objective wire news outlet. Best understood as a platform for anti-populist and pro-democracy political strategy rather than as a neutral news source.
CAN DEMOCRACY WORK?
As I look at these lists, I wonder about the voter-citizen who has the time to explore many of these outlets, and work through their political biases, let alone survive the avalanche of illegitimate influencers available on the internet.
It strikes me as of little wonder that people, who feel like they are intelligent and well-informed, feel either a level of uncertainty about their political perspectives (Am I a socialist?), or feel extremely defensive about the positions they have staked out for themselves.
It does seem like a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. I guess I will just continue to watch CNN knowing that the programmers at CNN are ignoring a world of internet “information” that may actually be the story of our lifetimes, but is going largely unreported.
Mainstream journalism has trouble stooping down to the street gutters where so much dark messaging lives. I don’t think that means that they should ignore it, because the general public isn’t.
– RAR
