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An A-Z Guide to Left-Leaning Media
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In response to reader requests to offer an alternative to the fire hose of misinformation often spewing from the right, TheRighting has launched this exclusive guide to the prominent voices on the left. Our launch date of January 20, 2021, was no coincidence. We picked news and information sources that we thought were overtly liberal. Our goal was to be as comprehensive as possible, but if we’ve missed some obvious liberal websites, please let us know: therighting(AT)therighting.com
Africa Is a Country
This oddly designed website features opinion, analysis, and new writing on and from the African left. Sean Jacobs launched the site in 2009.
Alternet
Founded in 1998 as a liberal political website. The website was formerly run under the stewardship of the nonprofit Independent Media Institute before being acquired by RawStory in 2018.
American Prospect, The
The American Prospect is an online magazine dedicated to revitalizing liberal thought and politics. Founders include former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich.
Atlantic, The
The print version The Atlantic Magazine was founded in 1857 by intellectuals including Ralph Waldo Emerson, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr., and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The company is known for its in-depth long-form journalism. The Emerson Collective acquired a majority stake of the Atlantic in 2017, thus passing ownership to philanthropist Laurene Powell Jobs, the widow of Steve Jobs.
Buzzfeed
A website founded in 2006 with the mission of focusing on viral pop culture content. BuzzFeed often targets GenZ and Millenial readers. BuzzFeedNews frequently covers politics and Black Lives Matter
Capital and Main
This easy-to-navigate news website covers income inequality, climate change, the green economy, housing, health care, public education, immigration, race, and criminal justice.
Christians Against Christian Nationalism
Technically, not a media organization, but more of an advocacy group. This organization believes that “Christians must speak in one voice condemning Christian nationalism as a distortion of the gospel of Jesus and a threat to American democracy.” (See New York Times op-ed about Christian Nationalism.)
Common Dreams
A nonprofit website which has been operating since 1997. Common Dreams coverage centers on issues of the environment, politics, corruption, and social justice in North America.
Consortium News
Independent investigate news featuring a few long-form pieces a day. The site launched in 1995 and it survives on reader funding including $50,000 from rock icon Roger Waters.
Courier Newsroom
Courier has a modest national analysis and opinion product that publishes several original stories and opinion pieces a week. It also has links to several left-leaning newsletters under its umbrella including FWIW and Stop the Presses. Courier also operates 12 local news outlets in key battleground states like Michigan and Florida. The company, which positions itself as a pro-democracy news network, is funded by Reid Hoffman and George Soros, among others.
Counter Punch
CounterPunch is a liberal magazine that publishes six print issues per year and daily articles posted on its website. Readers can access additional columns and content by paying for a CounterPunch+ subscription. Content on CounterPunch covers a broad range of domestic and international political issues.
Crooks and Liars
A progressive news website created in 2004. Crooks and Liars includes a combination of articles and opinion pieces on political topics, as well as a section called “mediabites” which provides opinion and analysis of both liberal and conservative-leaning video.
Current Affairs
Based in New Orlean, this politically oriented and progressive media outlet was founded in 2015. It features a print magazine, website and podcast, and has a number of in-depth articles. Current Affairs has a feisty attitude (one subhead: “Like the New Yorker, but readable”).
Daily Beast, The
The Daily Beast portrays itself as an edgy cultural and political media outlet which offers scoops and opinion pieces alike on contemporary topics. The founding editor of the Daily Beast was former Vanity Fair and New Yorker editor Tina Brown. (Read Nieman Journalism article about the Beast.)
Daily Kos
A liberal blog and political website founded in 2002 by US Army veteran Markos Moulitsas (hence the name of the website, which rhymes with dose). Daily Kos website tabs include News, Community, and Action. The Daily Kos generates original content while providing a platform for users to have direct exchanges with one another. (Read Wired interview with Moulitsas.)
DC Report
Pulitzer-prize-winning reporter David Cay Johnston founded and edits this non-profit news website that reports on the inner-workings of Washington and how important decisions impact everyday American families.
Democracy Now
This multi-platform liberal media outlet features many stories about peace activism, environmental issues and social justice. Every morning at 8 a.m. ET, there’s a hour-long television, radio and internet news program hosted by Amy Goodman and Juan González. Content tabs include Black Lives Matter, Police Brutality and Immigration.
Exposed By CMD
Exposed by CMD (the Center for Media and Democracy) is a watchdog organization that “leads investigations into the corruption that undermines our democracy.” Coverage on Exposed by CMD includes a mix of exposésand article covering economic and social justice. CMD frequently examines the political ties and finances of prominent figures such as the Koch brothers, and tracking corporate political contributions.
Hartmann Show, The Thom
The nation’s leading progressive talk show.
Huff Post (formerly known as The Huffington Post)
The site was launched in 1995 as a left-leaning blog and aggregator to counterbalance the popularity of the right-tilting Drudge Report. Founders included liberal activist Arianna Huffington and Jonah Peretti, who went on to co-found BuzzFeed. It grew to become one of the most popular websites in the world and at one time had more than 100,000 contributors blogging for free. The site today covers a wide variety of news including politics.
In These Times
Chicago-based magazine of news, culture and opinion that was founded in 1976. The company believes “that a progressive political movement needs its own media to inform, educate and orient itself.”
Jacobin
This online magazine, which positions itself as a leading voice of the American left, provides “a socialist perspective” on issues of the economy, politics, and culture. Jacobin seeks to promote an anti-racist, anti-sexist program using class as its primary lens in doing so.
LA Progressive
Publishing since 2008, this website focuses mainly on social justice issues particularly in the Los Angeles area. More than 40 articles a week are posted.
Letters from an American
A Substack newsletter popular among progressives written by Heather Cox Richardson, a professor of American history at Boston College.
Liberal Patriot
A daily Substack newsletter examining U.S. politics and public policy from a liberal perspective. Founded in 2021. John Halpin is the president and executive editor.
Media Matters
Left-leaning watchdog of conservative media with a robust content-creation operation. Founded in 2004 to balance the analysis and commentary produced by the right-wing Media Research Council.
Meidas Touch
A liberal news and opinion website founded in 2020 by the three Meiselas brothers: Jordan, Brett and Ben, an attorney who has represented Colin Kaepernick. Former Georgia prosecutor Ron Filipkowski oversees website operations. In 2021, Rolling Stone published an unflattering look at the company’s fundraising activities. See Wikipedia page.
Monthly Review, The
Monthly Socialist magazine and website that began publishing in 1949.
Mother Jones
The San Francisco based organization was founded in 1976. The company is committed to producing socially conscious journalism – much of it investigative – that tackles political and corporate power. Mother Jones is perhaps best known for this exposé on the Ford Pinto and its crippling safety deficiencies back in 1977.
Nation, The
Founded in 1865 by abolitionists. The Nation is known for its in-depth investigative and muckraking articles to bring about change. One of its mottos is dissent is patriotic. The magazine was a vocal opponent to Senator Joe McCarthy and the Viet Nam war.
New Republic, The
Small, but influential progressive publication publishing since 1914. (Read 2015 profile in Columbia Journalism Review.)
Now This News
NowThis primarily disseminates information using social media and short videos (read this profile in Forbes). NowThis, which is part of Group Nine Media, is headed by former MTV CMO Tina Exarhos.
Palmer Report, The
A political blog founded in 2013 by journalist Bill Palmer (see profile of the elusive Mr. Palmer). The Palmer Report is a self-described “fiercely independent” publication. The Palmer Report has been referred to by Vox Media as the mirror image of the far-right websites Breitbart and Infowars.
Politicus USA
Politicus is a liberal online publication which aggregates much of its content from other sources. It was founded in 2008 with a strong independent mind-set. The company does not seek outside funding nor does it ask for money from readers.
Project Censored
Censorship undermines democracy. That’s the defining principle of this venture, which promotes investigative journalism, media literacy and critical thinking. The website has a clever tagline: The News That Didn’t Make the News. The organization also produces a weekly radio show aired on 50 stations.
Punchbowl News
Founded in early 2021 by three Politico veterans. Features just-the-facts style of reporting on Washington. (Read New York Times story about launch of media outlet.)
Raw Story, The
A progressive news website founded in 2004 by John Byrne (read profile), who also created Alternet. Much of the content is based on reporting from other sources.
Real News Network, The
The Real News Network is dedicated to telling the stories that matter to movements fighting back against capitalism, white supremacy, and imperialism. It was founded in 2004 in Toronto but later moved to Baltimore.
Refinery29
Refinery29 is a left-leaning female-focused media company owned by Vice. Although much of Refinery29’s content centers on style and entertainment, it also publishes news and political opinion stories.
Right Wing Watch
This organization closely follows the activities and rhetoric of right-wing activists and organizations in order “to expose their extreme agenda.” Researchers monitor right-wing broadcasts, emails and websites, and publish their findings on the organization’s website. Right Wing Watch is a project of the liberal People For the American Way, which was founded in part by television producer Norman Lear.
Salon
Salon, a liberal news and opinion site founded in 1995, was one of the first digital-native online publications. It features political stories as well sexually oriented content targeted for Millennial and Gen Z readers.
Shadowproof
This reader-supported media outlet is devoted to exposing abuses of power in government and business. Shadowproof is also committed to spotlighting marginalized communities and dissenting perspectives that have been ignored.
Slate
Slate covers politics, arts, culture and news. Its launch in 1996 was hailed as a seminal event for the nascent internet media especially since Slate’s founding editor was former CNN “Crossfire” co-host and New Republic editor Michael Kinsley.
Sludge
The Sludge articles always favor the progressive left, according to Media Bias/Fact Check. The site, founded in 2018, has a home page navigation with sections for climate, defense, democracy and technology. The site’s tagline is, “Relentlessly uncovering corruption.”
Spitfire List
The website and blog of the anti-fascist radio personality David Emory, who show is carried on several Pacifica station. The site is confusing and poorly organized.
Status Coup
The site’s tagline is “We cover what corporate media covers up. Featuring in-field and investigative reporting, we give the microphone back to the people.” Status Coup seems to post few stories. The co-founder and CEO is Jordan Chariton. The site isn’t easy to navigate.
Talking Points Memo (TPM)
TPM is a political website and blog. Its name is derived from a supposed list of talking points that Monica Lewinsky gave to Linda Tripp during the Clinton impeachment trial. TPM provides raucous and often edgy political content.
The Intercept
Founded in 2014 with by Glenn Greenwald, Jeremy Scahill, and Laura Poitras with funds provided by Pierre Omidyar, According to a story in Influence Watch, The Intercept is a left-wing website “that provides coverage and commentary regarding U.S. politics and public policy from a socialist perspective.”
The Lever
A reader-supporter investigative news website founded by the multi-talented journalist/screenwriter Dave Sirota, who was also a speechwriter for Bernie Sander’s 2020 presidential campaign. Home page navigation bars include politics, climate, labor and health.
Therecount
Founded by executive editor and mainstream cable news talking head John Heilemann and CEO John Battelle. It’s a video-first politically focused media brand providing a liberal-leaning recap of the day’s top news.
TomDispatch
According to the website, “For the past two decades, TomDispatch has regularly featured the work of former government officials, whistleblowers, and other iconoclasts. The site regularly features the critical commentary of military veterans and critics of America’s “forever wars” of several generations.” It was founded in 2001 by Tom Engelhardt and positions itself as “a regular antidote to mainstream media.”
Truthout
Focus mainly on social justice issues. Founded 2001.
Upworthy
A media company founded in 2012 dedicated to producing inspiring stories that go viral. At one time, according it was considered one of the fastest-growing websites ever. Facebook co-founder, Chris Hughes, was an early investor, according to Wikipedia.
Vice
Vice is an online media company founded in 1994 in Montreal as an alternative punk magazine. The company now produces roughly 1,500 pieces of content a day, many of which are bold and lean left.
Vox
Former Washington Post employee Ezra Klein founded Vox in 2014. It covers current affairs with a liberal slant. Additionally, its parent company owns several other media brands including New York Magazine, The Verge, The Cut, Eater, Polygon, SB Nation, Curbed, Grub Street and Recode
Washington Monthly
Left-leaning news outlet focusing primarily on government and politics. Despite its name, the magazine is published bi-monthly. Founded in 1969. Editor-in-Chief Paul Glastris is a former speechwriter for Bill Clinton.
Wonkette
A left-tilting online media outlet established in 2004 by Gawker. It’s known for its brash, unapologetic style as it covers the world of politics.
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