John Stossel
What does this mean?How we determined this rating:
- Independent Review
- Editorial Review: Apr 2025
- AllSides has medium confidence in this bias rating.
Unless otherwise noted, this bias rating refers only to online news coverage, not TV, print, or radio content.
Learn about our bias rating methodsAbout John Stossel's Bias Rating
John Stossel is a author source with an AllSides Media Bias Rating™ of Lean Right.
John Stossel is an American consumer television personality, author and libertarian pundit. Stossel worked at ABC News for 28 years before joining Fox News in 2008. As a reporter, Stossel has received numerous honors, including 19 Emmy Awards, as well as being honored five times for excellence in consumer reporting by the National Press Club.
What a "Lean Right" Rating Means
Sources with an AllSides Media Bias Rating of Lean Right display media bias in ways that moderately align with conservative, traditional, libertarian, or right-wing thought and/or policy agendas. A Lean Right bias is a moderately conservative rating on the political spectrum.
Learn more about Lean Right ratingsDetails
Bias Reviews
We use multiple methods to analyze sources. Learn how we rate media bias.John Stossel Bias Rating Confirmed as Lean Right in April 2025 Small Group Editorial Review
A group of three AllSides reviewers on the left, center, and right confirmed John Stossel's Lean Right rating in an April 2025 Small Group Editorial Review.
Stossel has spoken out against book bans and other forms of censorship, as well as "indoctrination" in schools. He is pro-free range parenting and pro-gun. He has referred to climate change activists as "climate alarmists," and been skeptical of their claims.
John Stossel Rated Lean Right in Independent Review
John Stossel's AllSides Bias Rating™ of Lean Right makes sense given his libertarian political views, meaning he leans right on fiscal issues and leans left on social matters. The author’s style combines reporting and commentary reflecting a libertarian political philosophy on economics, largely supportive of a free market. For example, he called government intervention “a folly,” emphasizing his preference of personal responsibility and deregulation.
On social issues he falls left of center, favoring the legalization of marijuana, recreational drugs, gambling, prostitution, gay marriage and assisted suicide. Stossel’s work has been criticized by several progressive organizations, including Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, Media Matters for America and Salon.com.
Confidence Level
Confidence is determined by how many reviews have been applied and consistency of data.As of June 2026, AllSides has medium confidence in our Lean Right rating for John Stossel. An Editorial Review or Blind Bias Survey has affirmed this rating, or multiple reviews have returned differing results. If we perform more bias reviews and gather consistent data, this confidence level will increase.