Washington’s Top News Bias and Reliability

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Compare the scores of Washington's Top News WTOP to other sources on our free Interactive Media Bias Chart®️. Click Here!

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Bias: Middle

Reliability: Reliable, Analysis/Fact Reporting

Overall Score

The following are the overall bias and reliability scores for Washington's Top News WTOP according to our Ad Fontes Media ratings methodology.

Bias: -0.25

Reliability: 46.13

Bias scores for articles and shows are on a scale of -42 to +42, with higher negative scores being more left, higher positive scores being more right, and scores closer to zero being minimally biased, equally balanced, or exhibiting a centrist bias.

Reliability scores for articles and shows are on a scale of 0-64. Scores above 36 are generally good; scores below 24 are generally problematic. Scores between 24-36 indicate a range of possibilities, with some sources falling there because they are heavy in opinion and/or analysis, and some because they have a high variation in reliability between content pieces.

Panels of analysts from Ad Fontes Media regularly review representative sample content to rate it for reliability and bias. Each panel of analysts comprises one left-leaning, one right-leaning, and one center-leaning analyst.

The team considers a variety of factors when rating content. To determine the bias score of a piece of content, we consider its language, its political position, and how it compares to other reporting from other sources on the same topic. We add each of these scores to the chart on a weighted scale, with the average of those creating the source’s overall bias score.

To determine its reliability score, we consider the content’s veracity, expression, its title/headline, and graphics. We add each of these scores to the chart on a weighted scale, with the average of those creating the source’s overall reliability score.

The bias rating, demonstrated on the horizontal axis of the Media Bias Chart®️, ranges from most extreme left to middle to most extreme right. The reliability rating, demonstrated on the chart’s vertical axis, rates sources on a scale from original fact reporting to analysis, opinion, selective/incomplete, misleading, and inaccurate/fabricated information.

Individual Content Sample Scores

These are the most recent content samples that Ad Fontes Media analysts have rated for this source.

Content Sample URL Bias Reliability
How much snow fell in the DC area during its first major snowstorm of the year?0.042.33
Cheering GOP delegates nominate Trump for president as he announces Vance as running mate1.3341.67
Biden sees US economy as powering past the pandemic-5.3339.67
‘We couldn’t keep doing the same thing’ — Va. Liberation party candidate Princess Blanding-340.67
Montgomery County schools considering 3 schedules for next school year0.046.33
Swift vaccine rollout for children 5-11 in Montgomery Co. a ‘game-changer’ for less disruption to schools0.045.0
Prince William School Board adds gender-identity to non-discrimination policy-245.67
Mother of Karon Hylton-Brown’s daughter seeks $100M over police chase death-3.3345.0
Charges filed against owner of escaped zebras in Prince George’s County0.047.33
Fauci: ‘Open season’ for COVID-19 vaccine could begin in April-245.67
Fairfax Co. school board considers new calendar to address learning loss from pandemic-0.3346.0
Bowser, Hogan, Northam ask for dedicated COVID-19 vaccines, support for federal, Metro workers-0.3346.0
COVID-19 variants found in DC; more vaccine doses on the way0.047.0
‘Creating a mess’: Link sharing, rumor mill gum up vaccine clinic in Montgomery Co.0.047.33
Montgomery Co. music teacher sentenced for child porn possession0.049.33
Two more DC-area museums will close Monday as COVID-19 cases surge0.049.0
Arlington Co. police charges man for sexual battery0.048.67
Maryland businesses brace for impact of reimposed COVID-19 restrictions0.048.33
Arlington Co. teacher removed after insensitive lesson references George Floyd-245.67
Amazon gives millions to local nonprofits as part of its DMV anniversary0.046.33
1 dead in Silver Spring house fire0.048.0
US Navy strongly opposed to Capital Beltway widening project2.3345.67
‘Project Giveback Thanksgiving’ returns with a new plan to deliver meals during pandemic-0.3347.33
DC-area doctor weighs in on how to keep kids safe when sports return1.042.0
A half-million unsolicited absentee applications cause confusion in Virginia1.3342.67