Apple News pushed 84 negative headlines about GOP priorities ahead of midterms with zero positive, study finds
Apple News promoted more than 80 stories that negatively framed the issues Republicans care about during the lead-up to the midterm elections while promoting zero positive stories about GOP-aligned issues, according to the Media Research Center (MRC).
The MRC, a conservative media watchdog, analyzed Apple News’ top 20 stories from Sept. 15-30 and found that voters who rely on the platform for information were fed roughly five stories per day that negatively characterized the Republicans' top 10 policy priorities.
During that same period, Apple News, which comes preinstalled on every iPhone in America, did not promote a single story that positively framed a Republican priority, according to the study.
The Media Research Center examined Apple News’ top 20 stories from Sept. 15-30. (JOHANNES EISELE/AFP via Getty Images)
"Apple News ran 84 negative headlines on Republican priorities and zero positive ones. Zero! My dentist finds more good news in a root canal," David Bozell told Fox News Digital.
"Millions of voters open that app before they vote, and Apple's editors are in there like a bartender who waters down only one party's drinks," David Bozell continued. "Come on, Apple, tell us who picks these stories and why Republicans got the whole bad-news buffet."
MRC staffers Luis Cornelio and Madison Van Zant, who conducted the study, wrote that their findings add to the "growing body of evidence that the platform’s editors continue to curate its feeds to push a left-wing political agenda."
The MRC found that 117 stories from outlets Apple News promoted GOP-aligned issues during the review period, with 84 stories featuring negative headlines (72%) and 33 (28%) receiving neutral headlines. None of the headlines promoted by Apple News presented GOP issues in a positive light.
Apple News was the subject of a Media Research Center analysis examining how headlines framed Republican policy priorities ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. (Getty Images)
"In short, Apple News ensured that immigration was framed through court defeats and sensationalist stories; the economy through high gas prices; law and order through positive portrayals of police abolition; cuts to government through accusations of radicalism; foreign policy through portrayals of America’s adversaries as warriors; and efforts to curb waste through claims of unlawful cuts," Cornelio and Van Zant wrote.
The study was conducted after the MRC identified 10 prominent Republican-aligned issues based on recent polls: immigration and border security, the economy, law and order, reducing government spending, combating drug use, national security and foreign policy, taxes, countering terrorism, education and protecting the unborn.
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Apple News has long been accused of having a liberal bias. (Getty Images)
Apple News has long been accused of having a liberal bias, and Fox News Digital reported earlier this year that many of the company’s top executives and board members have made substantial contributions to Democrats over multiple election cycles.
Some conservatives were hopeful that Apple News would pivot once new CEO John Ternus took control of the company, but a previous MRC study found that the news aggregator increased the percentage of stories from leftist outlets during his first month on the job.
Apple did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
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Brian Flood is a media editor/reporter for FOX News Digital. Story tips can be sent to brian.flood@fox.com and on Twitter: @briansflood.
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