The New York Times
The Times is the largest US national newspaper by subscriptions. Its news desk is rigorous and well-sourced; its opinion section is editorially separate and runs a wide range of voices skewed toward the center-left.
Visit nytimes.comPolitical lean
Center-left
Factual reliability
High factual reporting
Founded
1851
Headquarters
New York, NY
Type
National daily newspaper
Ownership
The New York Times Company (publicly traded; Sulzberger family control)
Strengths
- ·Deep investigative bench and Pulitzer-winning reporting.
- ·Strong international coverage.
- ·Clear labeling of news vs. opinion vs. analysis.
Things to keep in mind
- ·Topic selection and headline framing can lean left of center.
- ·Opinion section has drawn internal and external criticism for both inclusion and exclusion of voices.
Read across the spectrum
Any single outlet has a perspective. To get the full picture on a story, compare how sources on the left, center, and right cover it side by side.
Other center-left outlets
NPR
Center-leftnpr.org
NPR is a privately and publicly funded non-profit that distributes news and cultural programming to local member stations. Its hard news desk is widely cited; its features and culture coverage typically reflect a center-left lens.
The Washington Post
Center-leftwashingtonpost.com
The Post is a national paper with strong political and national-security coverage based in DC. Its reporting standards are well-regarded; opinion content runs left-of-center with a few conservative columnists.
The Guardian
Center-lefttheguardian.com
The Guardian is owned by the Scott Trust, an endowment created to keep the paper editorially independent. It openly identifies with a progressive editorial perspective and labels opinion content clearly.