Truthout
U.S. left
Background
Truthout was founded in 2001 in direct response to the disputed 2000 U.S. presidential election, positioning itself as a progressive alternative to mainstream media outlets. By 2006 it had grown to roughly thirty staff members. In 2009 it became the first online-only news organization to unionize, a milestone consistent with its labor-progressive editorial values. The outlet operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with an annual budget of approximately $2.2 million, funded mainly by small individual donations and grants from socially progressive foundations rather than advertising or corporate sponsors. Media Bias/Fact Check rates it as left-biased in story selection and framing, and as mostly factual rather than highly factual in sourcing, noting a pattern of one-sided presentation that regularly omits opposing context. Throughout its history Truthout has focused on racial justice, climate change, labor rights, and immigration from an unambiguously progressive viewpoint. As of 2026 it is led by Executive Director Ziggy West Jeffery and Editor-in-Chief Negin Owliaei.
Sources
- Truthout – Wikipedia
- About Truthout
- Financial Information – Truthout
- TruthOut – Bias and Credibility – Media Bias/Fact Check
- Trump's SNAP Cuts Leave States and Counties Facing Spiraling Hunger Crisis
- Trump Administration Sets Goal to Denaturalize Thousands of US Citizens in 2026
- Families Across US Are Suffering From the Fallout of GOP's 2025 Megabill
Profile compiled 2026-07-07; refreshed when ownership, funding, or the administration changes.