FiveThirtyEight Bias and Reliability

chart

Compare the scores of FiveThirtyEight to other sources on our free Interactive Media Bias Chart. Click Here!

Bias: Skews Left

Reliability: Reliable, Analysis/Fact Reporting

Overview

Ad Fontes Media rates FiveThirtyEight in the Skews Left category of bias and as Reliable, Analysis/Fact Reporting in terms of reliability. FiveThirtyEight is a website created by analyst Nate Silver that features poll analysis, politics, science and sports blogging. Its name refers to the number of electors in the U.S. electoral college. Founded in 2008, it was transferred in 2018 from ESPN Inc. to ABC News, which is owned by Walt Disney Company.

Overall Score

The following are the overall bias and reliability scores for FiveThirtyEight according to our Ad Fontes Media ratings methodology.

Reliability: 42.83

Bias: -6.35

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 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 sample content’s overall reliability score.

To determine sample content’s bias score, we consider its language, its political position, and how it compares to other reporting or analysis 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 content’s overall bias score.

The bias rating, demonstrated on the Media Bias Chart®️ on the horizontal axis, 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, propaganda and inaccurate/fabricated information.

Reliability scores for articles and shows are on a scale of 0-64. Scores above 40 are generally good; scores below 24 are generally problematic. Scores between 24-40 indicate a range of possibilities, with some sources falling there because they are heavy in opinion and analysis, and some because they have a high variation in reliability between articles.

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.

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
Who Gets Abortions In America -5.67 46
Would Democrats Rather Face Donald Trump Or Ron DeSantis in 2024? -3.67 34
Unions Have Been Under Attack For Decades, But Michigan Just Gave Them A Big Win -6.33 40.33
Should Anti-Trump Republicans Clear The Field For DeSantis? 4.67 35.33
Which Taylor Swift Album Is The Most Popular? 0 43
How Americans' Support For Aiding Ukraine Has Evolved -2.67 41.33
Brock Purdy Was Mr. Irrelevant. Now He’s Mr. Impossible. -0.67 39.67
What The 20 Republicans Who Voted Against Kevin McCarthy Have In Common -0.33 42.67
Americans Are Worried About Crime, But That Doesn’t Mean They’re Blaming Democrats -6.67 41.33
How To Build The Best Gymnastics Team Around Simone Biles 0 39.67
How Trump Has Redefined Conservatism -1.67 43
Why Republicans Won’t Support Sweeping Voting Rights Legislation Now … Or Anytime Soon -11.33 28.33
Why The Lab Leak Debate Is Back 0 46.67
Most Americans Don’t Want Roe v. Wade Repealed. Many Also Support Restrictions On Abortion. -6.67 45.33
Why Black Women Are Often Missing From Conversations About Police Violence -9.67 44
How Views On Black Lives Matter Have Changed — And Why That Makes Police Reform So Hard -1 46.33
It’s Not Just Young White Liberals Who Are Leaving Religion 0 48
Americans From Both Parties Want Weed To Be Legal. Why Doesn’t The Federal Government Agree? -0.33 48.67
Why Attacking ‘Cancel Culture’ And ‘Woke’ People Is Becoming The GOP’s New Political Strategy -6 44.67
Georgia Was A Disaster For Republicans. It’s Not Clear Where They Can Go Next. -9.4 43.8
Why So Many Men Stuck With Trump In 2020 -6 38.33
Black Voters Are So Loyal That Their Issues Get Ignored 0 43.67
What If Trump Loses And Won’t Leave? -10 36.67
Voter Registrations Are Way, Way Down During The Pandemic -3 45
In 2008, Everyone Thought The Recession Was Bad. But in 2020, Many Americans’ Views Depend On Their Party. -5.67 42.33

Sign up so you always receive the latest versions
of the Media Bias Chart, plus announcements
on Ad Fontes tools for news consumers, educators,
and enterprises. Stay updated on our mission
to improve the media landscape!

 

Email: