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34% Somewhat Right

Bias Meter

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Bias Meter

How the Rating is Determined
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The American Conservative has a Bias Score of 34% Somewhat Right which is based on a variety of factors including its policy and politician leanings, article ratings, and the use of biased language. Its Reliability is rated as Average, and additional analytical insights are available in the other tabs.
  • Bias Rating

    34% Somewhat Right

  • Reliability
    61% Reliable Average
  • Policy Leanings

    28% Somewhat Right

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    Average Reliability

    *Our bias meter rating uses data science including sentiment analysis, machine learning and our proprietary algorithm for determining biases in news articles. Bias scores are on a scale of -100% to 100% with higher negative scores being more liberal and higher positive scores being more conservative and 0% being neutral. The rating is an independent analysis and is not affiliated nor sponsored by the news source or any other organization.

  • Politician Portrayal

    100% negative

Analysis of The American Conservative Articles

Analysis of Bias in The American Conservative Online Articles

To evaluate this, we can analyze select The American Conservative articles through several of Biasly’s bias rating criteria: Tone, Tendency, Author, Diction, and Expediency Bias.

  • Tone: This represents the attitude of the writing, formed distinctively but related to the author’s word choices or diction. 
  • Diction: The specific words chosen by the writer. 
  • Author: A metric related to the article’s author, taking into account their history of stance on issues based on past articles and social media posts. 
  • Tendency: This measures how consistently an author shows bias in their work, including factors like their tone and perspective. 
  • Expediency Bias: the immediate impression created by elements like the article’s headline, images, or summary, indicating if they favor a particular viewpoint.

Sam Brown, wearing a military uniform, speaks into a microphone on stage, standing in front of a plain background.

Source: The American Conservative

The reporter Spencer Neale frames Brown not just as a political candidate, but as heroic and morally grounded in the tone of the piece. Using Brown’s military service and personal suffering to reinforce his argument, Neale repeatedly highlights Brown’s Christian faith, patriotism, and perseverance. For example, the author chose to include a quote by Donald Trump,

Expand Analysis of The American Conservative Articles

The American Conservative Bias Overview

Since it started in 2002, The American Conservative has carved out a unique niche in American political commentary. It’s known for its principled, conservative viewpoint that differs slightly from the mainstream conservative media.

Available in both digital and print formats, The American Conservative is noted for its thoughtful and often unconventional viewpoints, making it an important platform for discussions on politics, culture, and policy. According to Pew Research, many conservative Republicans prefer news from sources that align with their political views, positioning The American Conservative as a trusted source for its readership. However, the question of whether The American Conservative maintains an unbiased stance is an ongoing topic of discussion among readers and critics.

Bar chart showing percentages of U.S. adults in political groups who want news from journalists sharing their politics, with conservative Republicans highest at 47% and moderate/liberals lowest at 29%.

Source: Pew Research

In this article, we will evaluate the publication’s coverage and editorial decisions to determine if there is a clear political bias in their reporting. Our aim is to provide a detailed assessment of whether The American Conservative shows bias and to explore the broader factors that influence media bias. 

Expand The American Conservative Bias Overview

The American Conservative Reliability Overview

The American Conservative Reliability Overview

Is The American Conservative Reliable?

The American Conservative, a right-leaning news source, offers a variety of articles that often challenge the conventions of articles published by mainstream media. When these articles steer in a different direction, it may be the case that they are not as trustworthy or reliable as other articles. This warrants taking a closer look at The American Conservative and its reliability.

Biasly’s rating, based on the Analyst and A.I. ratings of different articles, for the reliability of The American Conservative is ‘Fair.’ This points to The American Conservative offering a moderate reliability. Although individual articles can differ,The American Conservative, on average, offers factual news that is supported by factual sources.

How to Evaluate Reliability?

Reliability refers to how trustworthy or accurate a news source is. If we can’t trust what we read, then continuing to consume content from that outlet serves little purpose. So how do we evaluate a news outlet’s reliability?

There are several key indicators of reliability to consider when assessing a media source. Red flags of an unreliable article can include wild, unsubstantiated claims, facts that depend on other unreliable sources, heavy use of opinionated language, and more. In contrast, hallmarks of a reliable source include:

  • Absence of subjective language
  • Citing credible sources (e.g., .gov, .edu, academic references)
  • Verifiable facts and statistics from multiple outlets
  • Use of primary sources, like interviews or transcripts
  • Consistency with coverage across other platforms

Biasly’s reliability scores incorporate these elements in evaluating media outlets.

Expand The American Conservative Reliability Overview

The American Conservative Editorial Patterns

The American Conservative’s coverage of political topics often reflects a Somewhat Right bias, with consistent patterns in phrasing, source selection, and thematic focus that are Slightly Conservative. While the publication demonstrates journalistic standards in many of its reports, the choice of issues, framing, and word usage can indicate a political slant. This content analysis examines how The American Conservative handles liberal and conservative issues and evaluates its language choices and editorial tendencies.

Coverage of Liberal vs. Conservative Topics

The American Conservative’s coverage frequently emphasizes traditionalist, nationalist, and anti-interventionist viewpoints, especially concerning immigration and foreign policy. Articles discussing progressive causes, like climate policy, LGBTQ+ advocacy, or social programs, are sometimes presented skeptically or in a cautionary fashion. The left-leaning topics can occasionally be framed as government overreach or elite-driven policies, as well. Many topics like identity politics, progressive education policies, or Ukraine aid are covered using language that expresses concern about institutional power and the erosion of traditional American values. 

On the other hand, conservative figures and Republican criticism of certain policies are presented more sympathetically. The news source displays conservative arguments as underrepresented viewpoints on many occasions, especially for topics like foreign intervention and border security. While the source is willing to criticise Republican leadership, like neoconservatives, it is framed differently compared to how liberal policies are criticised. 

The ideological leanings are visible when terms such as “globalism,” “bureaucratic expansion,” or “elite consensus” are categorically used.

Expand The American Conservative Editorial Patterns

Funding and Ownership

Last updated: July 28, 2026

Who Owns The American Conservative?

A man with short gray hair in a dark suit, patterned tie, and white shirt stands indoors, looking at the camera with a neutral expression.

Patrick J. Buchanan, Founder on The American Conservative’s board of directors
Source: Wikimedia Commons 

The American Conservative is owned by the American Ideas Institute, a nonprofit organization. The publication operates with a mission to promote traditional conservatism and offer a platform for thoughtful political commentary and analysis. It was founded by three men, Scott McConnell, Patrick J. Buchanan, and Taki Theodoracopulos, all of whom believed that American conservatism was not actually conserving much of anything.” 

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Frequently Asked Questions

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