The New York Post's AllSides Media Bias Rating has shifted from Lean Right to Right following a June 2026 editorial review conducted by a six-person panel of expert bias reviewers. The panel, composed of two reviewers each from the left, center and right, rated the outlet at 3.15 on AllSides' five-point scale. Combined with past reviews, this result moved the Post's overall rating from 2.93 to 3.13 — a difference of 0.2 points that was enough to move it into the Right category.
The change marks a relatively minor shift in numerical terms but represents a notable categorization change for one of the nation's oldest tabloid newspapers. AllSides has been conducting media bias reviews since 2012 and publishes ratings based on panel assessments, blind surveys and editorial review.
What the Right Is Saying
Conservative defenders of the New York Post have pushed back on the rating change, with some arguing that AllSides itself has shifted toward applying stricter standards to right-leaning outlets. A lean-right reviewer in the June panel described the Post as "Tabloid of the Right" — language they used descriptively rather than critically.
Supporters note that the Post's own editorial standards describe its approach as committed to "accurate and aggressive reporting presented in a way that engages our millions of daily newspaper and digital readers." The outlet states it offers "a common-sense perspective on issues and politics, giving fair time to newsmakers and viewpoints often ignored by other media."
Some conservative commentators have argued that the numerical difference between the old rating (2.93) and new rating (3.13) is too small to represent a meaningful change in actual coverage patterns. They note that individual panelist ratings ranged from 2.5 — still within Lean Right territory — to 4.0, indicating significant disagreement among reviewers about the outlet's positioning.
Additionally, right-leaning defenders point out that several panelists acknowledged the Post occasionally publishes sensational stories that appeal across the political spectrum. One article reviewed was "Rubio and UFC will sign deal to use cage fights for diplomacy," which drew interest from readers across ideological lines rather than resonating exclusively with conservatives.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive commentators and media critics have pointed to the AllSides findings as confirmation of longstanding concerns about the Post's coverage of Democrats and progressive policies. A left-leaning reviewer in the June panel cited what they described as an "extreme presence of subjective qualifying adjectives, sensationalism, headline bias, and story choices that frame liberals and Democrats in a negative light." The reviewer specifically noted frequent coverage attacking New York mayoral figure Zohran Mamdani and politicians connected to him.
Media watchdog groups aligned with progressive causes have argued that the Post's framing consistently disadvantages Democratic candidates. Critics note that panelists found the outlet rarely reports neutrally that a Democrat "said" something, instead reaching for loaded verbs such as "dragged before Congress." One article reviewed by the panel headlined "SF schools chief dragged before Congress to defend race, gender identity lessons" was flagged for describing the district's practices as "ultra-liberal" while relying entirely on Republican lawmakers' criticism without including any proponents of those policies.
Some progressive observers argue that AllSides' shift validates broader concerns about tabloid journalism's impact on political discourse. They note that story selection — choosing which events to cover and how prominently — can shape reader perceptions even when individual facts are accurate.
What the Numbers Show
The June 2026 AllSides Editorial Review produced a panel average of 3.15, placing the New York Post in the Right category on AllSides' five-point scale where 1 equals Left and 5 equals Right. The outlet's previous overall rating was 2.93 under the Lean Right designation.
The six-person review panel included two reviewers each from left, center and right political perspectives — a structure designed to capture multiple viewpoints simultaneously rather than relying on a single ideological lens. Individual ratings within this panel ranged from 2.5 at the Lean Right boundary to 4.0 solidly in the Right range.
AllSides defines its bias categories as follows: Left (1-1.60), Lean Left (1.61-2.40), Center (2.41-3.60), Lean Right (3.61-4.40) and Right (4.41-5.00). Under this framework, a rating of 3.15 falls within the Center range rather than Lean Right or Right — the June panel's assessment of 3.15 was combined with past reviews to calculate the new overall rating.
The types of bias panelists identified as driving the Right rating included: sensationalism in story presentation, use of subjective qualifying adjectives such as "sulks" when describing Democratic lawmakers, headline bias that frames stories negatively toward Democrats, and story choice patterns that repeatedly selected topics appealing to conservative readers while casting progressive policies unfavorably. Panelists also flagged viewpoint omission — presenting one side without opposing perspectives — including an article about UNRWA and Hamas where no mention was made of how U.S. dollars have been used in Gaza.
The Bottom Line
The shift from Lean Right to Right reflects AllSides' assessment that the New York Post's coverage patterns during the June review period showed consistent editorial choices that benefited conservative perspectives while framing Democrats negatively. While the 0.2-point numerical change is modest, it represents a categorical boundary crossing for an outlet with significant print and digital readership.
The findings highlight ongoing debates about how to measure media bias objectively when bias can manifest through story selection, headline word choice and framing rather than outright factual errors. The New York Post's coverage of California politics through its new California Post section drew particular scrutiny from panelists who found it focused on the most progressive policies with a "big sensationalistic light" while emphasizing critical reporting on Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom.
What readers should watch: AllSides plans to publish additional examples from its review on the New York Post's source page, allowing readers to evaluate the panel's reasoning directly. The outlet has not publicly responded to the rating change as of this report.