Associated Press (via PBS/WSB)

U.S. center-left

Background

The AP was founded in 1846–1848 when six major New York City daily newspapers — including the Herald, Tribune, and Sun — pooled resources to share the cost of gathering news by telegraph. It reorganized in 1900 as a formal nonprofit membership cooperative under New York State law, a structure it retains today. By the mid-20th century it had grown into one of the largest global news agencies, with over 250 bureaus across more than 100 countries. Its funding relies heavily on licensing fees rather than advertising, insulating it somewhat from commercial pressures, though critics note that large philanthropic grants from foundations create their own potential conflicts of interest. AllSides and similar media-bias trackers have rated AP between 'Lean Left' and 'Left' throughout 2024–2026, citing word-choice patterns, story selection, and framing. In February 2025, the Trump White House banned AP reporters from the Oval Office and Air Force One because AP's style guide continued to use 'Gulf of Mexico' rather than the administration's preferred 'Gulf of America'; AP sued three administration officials on First Amendment grounds. A federal district court initially ordered the ban lifted in April 2025, but a 2-1 appeals court panel allowed the restrictions to stand in June 2025, a ruling widely cited as a significant press-freedom setback.

Sources

1. Associated Press – Wikipedia
2. Associated Press Media Bias | AllSides
3. AP's Bias Shifts from Left to Lean Left | AllSides
4. AP v. Budowich – Wikipedia
5. White House ban on AP can continue, appeals court rules | CNN
6. Judge orders White House ban on AP lifted while lawsuit plays out | Washington Post
7. AP Bias – AllSides blog
8. Associated Press – The Nuanced Ownership | St. Augustine's University

Profile compiled 2026-07-13; refreshed when ownership, funding, or the administration changes.

← Back to track record