Compared to the status quo, I think AllSides' work is so awesome that I decided I'd write a summary article about them. The goal is to both tell you what they do and link to examples for you to review their work. If you link them, join or invest in them to support their work.
(Disclaimer: I have no deal with or profit from AllSides. I just believe in their mission. Also, working two jobs, I think their recommendations might save me time in getting to the right articles.)
Overview Page. AllSides rates media sources on a scale from Left to Center to Right. Their main tools are expert panels and/or blinded surveys with people from a mix of backgrounds. Their source reports have the rating, reviewers' notes, example articles, readers' votes on their rating, and (if disputed enough) extra reviews. I found the reviewers' notes very helpful.
Media Bias Chart. This chart is the best way to start at finding sources on the Left, the Right, or with less drama ("Center"). Clicking a name leads to a report that describes that organization's biases. Just look at a bunch of them and the organizations' web sites to see what you think. I found it helpful even when I expanded on the same side of the chart (eg Left or Right) because I heard different perspectives.
Example, bias reviews with interesting notes in them: The Guardian (far-left), Politico (leans left), 1440 Newsletter (center), National Review (leans right), Fox News (naturally) (far right). Real Clear Politics was interesting given the New York Times and Wall Street Journal both rated its polls as "nonpartisan." Some "center" publications also use liberal sources with centrist presentation which AllSides doesn't adequately factor in yet.
Types of Media Bias. Deep dive on the topic. Worth reading. I'll add that books like The Art of Deception, critical thinking courses, and fallacy lists can really help with spotting bad information or arguments.
AllSides' Media Bias Rating Methods. Their methods. I like that they used mixed audiences of both experts and blind surveys. I'd do the same. I wonder if they'll have to defer more to independent checkers or automated tools if their volume of reviews goes up. They do put what they did in the reports, though.
AllSides Balance Certification Criteria. If the organization is rated center, they might attempt this certification. It's granted upon multiple, review methods showing (a) equal amount of perspectives are shared or (b) no clear bias or leanings in their reporting.
6 Ways Fact Checkers Are Biased
Fact Check Bias Chart. The Snopes article was very thorough. I did find two things strange: their analysis showing strong, liberal bias followed by a conclusion like it was balanced which appeared to not fit with the prior statements; the last example on the page was just weird.
Influencer Bias and Chart. I haven't reviewed this yet. Some on the "center" side lean liberal again. Joe Rogan lets everyone talk in detail, though, so he probably should get Center and Certified Balanced. Many others look right.
Automated, bias checker. I tested it on two, easy sites. It worked. I'll need more usage data before I can really assess its performance.
Balanced Search. It lets you search AllSides or the web. If the web, you can select what type of media you want by its political rating. It's not that good yet but search is hard. Give them time. (I was building a simpler tool for this, too.)
Similarity Hub. Similarity Hub shows hundreds of examples of common ground between Democrats, Republicans, and all Americans. Personally, I find found examples a few pages in more interesting. While only 5+% different between many, I think that represented a larger divide than AllSides might believe.
AllStances. This gives "multiple stances on issues from across the political position. Top arguments for each position." For an example, I thought the "Can Socialism Work in the US?" page covered most views. Stance 5 was even closer to the Christian view of how our sinful nature corrupts these systems. We have Christ and His Word to help, though.
Perspectives Blog. This "features content by the AllSides team and guest writers across the political spectrum. We highlight multiple perspectives, including views that might be overlooked by the broader media. We often publish content about media bias, media literacy, filter bubbles, political polarization, and bridging divides." One example I was surprised they didn't self-censor was capitalizing "Black," not "White". The best test was "Status Report: How is Trump Doing?" which was remarkably calm and fact-driven compared to most reports on Trump's performance.
Topics and Issues. I haven't looked at this yet. Choose a topic where you know both sides' arguments. See what they said about it.
Training in Schools. They have lesson plans and other stuff to teach students how to assess biases, theirs and media's. They're encouraged to have civil conversations with people to really understand their views. AllSides also has a service, Mismatch (video), that lets a student chat with someone with different beliefs. They claim that over 90% report positive experiences in that they better understood people.
AllSides' work has already helped me quite a bit. They gave me a list of sources to use in specific leanings I was looking for. I've stayed using a few of them. Their page on understanding media bias is now my default approach to teaching people about that. Whether AllSides will remain beneficial or be corrupted overtime is an open question. For now, I hope their work helps some of you deal with media bias more effectively.
(License: This article is licensed as CC By 4.0. You are free to share and remix it as much as you want. Just give credit with a link back. AllSides' material is their property which I'm merely linking to. I have no affiliation with them past a paid membership.)