In a recent episode of the Will Cain Podcast, fill-in host Tim Young sat down with David Bozell, President of the Media Research Center (MRC), to discuss troubling patterns of media bias on the Big Four News apps and mainstream coverage of U.S. actions against Iran.
Bozell highlighted stark imbalances in news aggregation. In February, Google promoted stories from 314 left-leaning outlets compared to just 11 right-leaning ones. Apple News performed even worse in some months: January saw 440 left-leaning outlets featured with zero right-leaning, while February improved slightly to 400 left-leaning and only 8 right-leaning. These platforms, preloaded on billions of devices, Apple News on iPhones, Google News on Androids, and MSN on Windows PCs, act as primary news gateways, effectively blocking conservative voices.
Bozell pointed to bizarre headlines elevated by these aggregators, including Huffington Post’s “Too Many Toots: What Excessive Farting Says About Your Health” and Variety’s “What Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Taught Me About MAGA Men.” He contrasted this with the exclusion of outlets like Daily Wire, Daily Caller, and Daily Signal, while left-leaning sites like Daily Beast received heavy promotion.
The discussion turned to coverage of escalating U.S.-Iran conflict. Bozell criticized CNN for what appeared to be a sanitized, regime-guided tour of Iran, reminiscent of propaganda in North Korea. CNN defended itself by noting invitations to Iranian “holiday parties,” which MRC analysts called a weak self-own.
Outlets like The Washington Post published glowing obituaries for Ayatollah Khamenei, describing him as “avuncular” with a “bushy white beard and easy smile,” fond of poetry—portrayals critics saw as overly sympathetic.
Late-night TV amplified anti-American sentiment: MRC tallied 235 of 250 jokes about the conflict targeting the U.S. and allies, with hosts like Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert, and Jimmy Kimmel repeating variations of the same line, framing it as a distraction from other issues.
Bozell argued this reflects deeper “Trump derangement syndrome” and a blockade against conservative media, despite its growth. He praised efforts by figures like FCC’s Brendan Carr and FTC’s Andrew Ferguson, who have pressured Apple over potential deceptive practices in promising neutral news curation.
Conservatives, Bozell urged, must “plant their flag” on these dominant platforms to ensure fair representation. As tech giants shape what millions see daily, the fight against bias is crucial for a balanced information ecosystem.
