Attkisson’s Full Measure Segment
Sharyl Attkisson, host of Full Measure, used a Sunday segment to examine whether major online news platforms give conservative publishers a fair chance to reach readers. The program focuses on investigative and accountability reporting. Attkisson spoke with David Bozell, president of the Media Research Center, about a recent study of media distribution. The discussion included Yahoo, MSN, Google News, and Apple News, along with outlets such as Breitbart, The Gateway Pundit, Fox News, and the New York Post. The central claim was that conservative outlets are not receiving comparable placement on major platform news pages.
What the Platform Study Reported
Bozell said MSN had linked to Newsweek 524 times in six months, which he cited as a reason it remained a top-20 news website, while the New York Post, Breitbart, and The Gateway Pundit each recorded zero links in that review. He described this as a blockade of an emerging conservative media ecosystem. Bozell also pointed to the built-in reach of these services, saying Apple News is preloaded on iPhones, Google News on Android devices, and MSN on desktops. When platforms control those entry points, their placement decisions can influence which headlines large audiences see.
Numbers Cited on Google and Apple News
Attkisson cited figures from the study showing that, out of 487 top stories reviewed on Google News last February, 11, or 2.2%, were right-leaning, compared with 314, or 64.5%, that were left-leaning. On Apple News the previous January, the sample contained 620 top stories, with zero identified as right-leaning and 440 identified as left-leaning. The segment also said Fox News and New York Post articles were never promoted in the reviewed pages. In a broader Big Four analysis, the study reported that the apps promoted 92% left-leaning outlets and 17% right-leaning outlets. Bozell said the research was sound and had not been disputed.
Questions About Access and Accountability
Attkisson asked whether the pattern reflected an organized propaganda effort or simply a broad culture of bias. Bozell said he viewed it as universal, while acknowledging it might not be centrally organized. He said he had sent a private letter to Tim Cook before Cook stepped down from Apple, but received no response. The Gateway Pundit article characterized the alleged exclusion as potentially criminal, while the discussion itself focused on the reported distribution data. The exchange raised a direct accountability question: how do dominant platforms select the stories they place in front of users? The article also identifies The Gateway Pundit as the fourth-largest conservative news site behind Fox News, the New York Post, and Breitbart, underscoring why wider distribution would matter to its readers.
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