Staff Reports
House Oversight Chair James Comer has announced an investigation into NewsGuard, an organization known for rating news agencies’ reliability. Comer expressed concerns about NewsGuard’s possible left-wing bias and pointed out that the group may not be as neutral as it claims based on its employees’ social media posts. He also mentioned complaints that NewsGuard pressures news outlets to alter their reporting to fit the organization’s standards and punishes those that don’t comply.
In addition to analyzing news outlets and assigning ratings, NewsGuard provides this information to companies for advertising decisions. However, some individuals have alleged that NewsGuard encourages liberal angles on stories. Comer cited an instance involving The Daily Sceptic, a British news site, which published a piece questioning the effectiveness of coronavirus lockdowns. NewsGuard pushed the outlet regarding the study, leading The Daily Sceptic to update its article. Despite the update, NewsGuard insisted on a retraction and lowered the outlet’s reliability rating when it refused to comply.
House GOP opens investigation into bias at media watchdog NewsGuardhttps://t.co/f23LW2rq3V pic.twitter.com/bjpJPFN14B
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) June 14, 2024
Comer also voiced concerns about NewsGuard employees and contributors posting critical content about former President Donald Trump on social media. Furthermore, Comer questioned NewsGuard’s ties to Publicis Groupe, a major corporate supporter, and its past work with the U.S. government, including a contract with the Defense Department. He emphasized the need for transparency regarding NewsGuard’s work for lawmakers.
NewsGuard’s co-CEO, Gordon Crovitz, responded to Comer’s concerns, stating that the Pentagon-related work aimed to combat disinformation efforts by foreign government-linked operations. Crovitz emphasized NewsGuard’s apolitical stance in rating news sources and compared it to other platforms or advocacy groups. However, the Media Research Center, a right-leaning news watchdog, conducted a study indicating that NewsGuard tended to rate “left” and “lean left” media outlets higher in credibility, prompting questions about the rating system’s fairness from conservative voices.
Comer’s investigation into NewsGuard reflects an ongoing debate about media bias and reliability in the current political climate. The outcome of the investigation could have implications for how news organizations are evaluated and supported in the future.
