Daily Source Bias Check: Third Way

These sources have minimal bias and use very few loaded words (wording that attempts to influence an audience by using appeal to emotion or stereotypes).  The reporting is factual and usually sourced.  These are the most credible media sources. See all Least Biased sources.

• Overall, we rate Third Way Least Biased based on a mix of right and left leaning positions, with a stronger right leaning bias concerning economics. We also rate them Mostly Factual in reporting, rather than High due to a lack of transparency with funding, as well as the use of poor sources.

Detailed Report

Factual Reporting: MOSTLY FACTUAL
Country: USA
World Press Freedom Rank: USA 48/180

History

Third Way is a Washington, D.C.-based public policy think tank founded in 2005. The think tank develops policy ideas, conducts public opinion research and hosts issue briefings. The organization has four policy divisions: Economics, National Security, Clean Energy, and Social Policy & Politics. Third Way develops and advocates for policies that it says represent the “vital center.” According to their about page “Third Way is a national think tank that champions modern center-left ideas. The current chairman is John L. Vogelstein and President is Jonathan Cowan.

Read our profile on United States government and media.

Funded by / Ownership

Third Way is nonprofit that is funded through donations. However, the website lacks transparency as they do not disclose financial information or large donors. In 2019, the Intercept reported that Koch Industries funded a report titled “Why Lou Dobbs is Winning.” In 2013, The Nation reported that “The Democratic think tank Third Way relies on money from corporate interests, lobbyists and Republican donors.” Finally, Salon reports that Third Way senior vice president admits majority of think tank’s funding comes from Wall Street. 

Analysis / Bias

In review, Third Way publishes news and information from a neoliberal (free market) economic and socially liberal perspective. The website lists many issues and their positions on them with curated links to outside news stories supporting their agenda. For example, under Climate Change they support the consensus of science and list policy changes they advocate for such as this “evidence-based solutions to the climate challenge that include advanced nuclear and carbon capture technology, as well as renewables, hydropower, existing nuclear, energy storage, and efficiency.” Under this heading they list outside stories that come mostly from the Right leaning Washington Examiner, which also has a poor record with fact checkers and human influenced climate denialism. 

Under the economy tag they advocate for an “innovative, modernized government must work in tandem with a thriving and dynamic private sector to achieve sustained economic growth and broad prosperity.” A press release under this tab shows they do not advocate for Republican tax policy such as this Third Way rejects GOP’s morally bankrupt attack on entitlement programs. 

Here is their perspective on some other issues:

Source: https://www.thirdway.org/