Forbes (contributor, Teresa Ghilarducci)
U.S. center-right (business/finance focus)
Background
Forbes was founded in 1917 by Scottish immigrant Bertie Charles Forbes as a business magazine championing free-market capitalism and entrepreneurship. Steve Forbes, Bertie's grandson, became editor-in-chief in 1990 and twice ran as a Republican presidential candidate (1996 and 2000), reinforcing the outlet's center-right economic identity. In 2014, the Forbes family sold a majority stake to Integrated Whale Media Investments, ending nearly a century of family majority ownership; a later proposed acquisition by Luminar Technologies CEO Austin Russell collapsed in late 2023. Forbes expanded aggressively online in the 2010s via a large open contributor network that faced sustained criticism for uneven quality and 'pay-to-play' practices; the program was significantly restructured and downsized around 2024. Bias rating organizations place Forbes at Center to Lean Right, with a center-right tilt on economic policy and a more mixed record on social issues. Steve Forbes endorsed Trump in both 2016 and 2024, and the outlet's editorial voice has historically favored low taxes and deregulation. Contributor Teresa Ghilarducci is a labor economist at The New School for Social Research who publishes a regular retirement-focused column advocating for expanded Social Security and pension reform—a left-of-center perspective that Forbes publishes under its contributor model, distinct from staff editorial positions.
Sources
- Forbes – Wikipedia
- Forbes Media Bias – AllSides
- Forbes – Bias and Credibility – Media Bias/Fact Check
- Forbes majority owner Austin Russell acquisition – Fortune
- Teresa Ghilarducci contributor page – Forbes
- Forbes bosses on 2025 strategy – Press Gazette
- Steve Forbes supports Donald Trump – CNN Politics
- Forbes contributor program explained (2026) – Instant Press
Profile compiled 2026-07-04; refreshed when ownership, funding, or the administration changes.