The American Prospect

U.S. left / progressive

Background

Founded in 1990 by Robert Kuttner, Robert Reich, and Paul Starr as a magazine of liberal ideas meant to counter the rising influence of conservative media and revive intellectual support for progressive politics. It struggled financially in its early decades, nearly folding in 2001 and again around 2014, when it was restructured as a leaner nonprofit newsroom under continued leadership from Kuttner and Starr. Over time it shifted from a bimonthly print magazine to a primarily online, investigative-journalism outlet, publishing deep dives on antitrust, labor, healthcare, and money-in-politics issues. It has built a reputation for detailed policy reporting that influences Democratic and progressive policymaking circles, and its journalists have occasionally broken stories that shaped legislative or regulatory debates. Critics on the right and some media-bias trackers label it a strongly left-leaning advocacy publication rather than a neutral outlet, a characterization the Prospect does not dispute in terms of its stated mission. It does not claim to be nonpartisan; it openly describes itself as devoted to advancing progressive policy ideas while adhering to factual reporting standards.

Sources

1. About Us - The American Prospect
2. Frequently Asked Questions - The American Prospect
3. The American Prospect - Wikipedia
4. The American Prospect - Bias and Credibility - Media Bias/Fact Check
5. About the Founders - The American Prospect

Profile compiled 2026-09-25; refreshed when ownership, funding, or the administration changes.

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