Overview

Ad Fontes Media rates PBS in the Middle category of bias and as Reliable, Analysis/Fact Reporting in terms of reliability. PBS (Public Broadcasting System) is a nonprofit public broadcaster and distributor of educational television founded in 1969. It is publicly funded and provides programming to TV stations across the United States.

Overall Score

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

Reliability: 43.32

Bias: -4.05

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
Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill calls for one of the police officers involved in his traffic stop to be fired	-2.33	44
Why political violence and violent threats are on the rise in the United States	0	43.33
As RNC looms, what to know about the political fallout of the Trump rally shooting	-2.33	36
Former Trump rival Nikki Haley will speak at the Republican National Convention	0	43
How extreme heat is damaging American transportation infrastructure	-7	43
How the U.S. government is trying to crack down on Russian disinformation online	0	41.33
WATCH: Biden addresses collapse of Baltimore’s Key Bridge, says he will visit soon	-1	44.33
Powerball jackpot increases to $865 million as winless streak continues	0	42.67
Netanyahu cancels Israeli delegation’s trip to Washington after U.S. abstains on UN Gaza cease-fire resolution	0	43.67
WATCH: Princess Kate announces she has cancer, has begun chemotherapy	0	44.33
Allergy season has arrived. Experts offered these tips so you can thrive	-3.67	43.33
Trump warns of ‘bloodbath’ if he isn’t reelected at Ohio rally for Senate candidate Moreno	-16.33	16
What needs to happen for Congress to pass funding for Ukraine aid and border security	0	45
News Wrap: Armed gang in Haiti takes hundreds hostage at hospital	0	46.33
A look inside the Gaza hospital raided by Israeli Defense Forces	-1.67	45
Universities pushed to address mental health concerns on campus after student suicides	0	42.33
A key U.S. spy program will lapse at year’s end unless Congress and the White House can cut a deal	0	46.33
Abbas Ibrahim discusses Israel-Hamas war and Hezbollah’s looming threat	-5.67	36
Latest climate assessment reveals how much climate change is costing Americans	-14.33	37
Trump’s ramped-up rhetoric raises new concerns about violence and authoritarianism	-3	39
News Wrap: Trump Jr. returns to stand in civil fraud trial targeting family business	-2.33	42.67
New Supreme Court ethics code ‘does very little’ to hold justices accountable, expert says	0	44.33
$10 billion renewable energy project paused over concerns for Native American historic sites	0	44.33
U.S. urges Israel to allow more aid in, better protect Palestinian civilians amid its siege on Gaza	0	47.33
Live updates: What’s happening in the Israel-Hamas war as calls for ‘pause’ in fighting grow	0	45.33