breitbart.com
What Breitbart.com Is
Breitbart.com — more formally Breitbart News Network — is an American news and opinion website that’s widely seen as part of the far-right media ecosystem. It publishes news, political commentary, and opinion pieces focused heavily on U.S. politics, culture, and related topics. (Wikipedia)
Started in 2007 by conservative commentator Andrew Breitbart, the goal was to create a digital hub for conservative ideas — one that could rival mainstream outlets and shape political conversation online. (Wikipedia)
The site is commercial, running continuously updated headlines and commentary, and includes optional user registration for commenting. (Breitbart)
Origins and Early Growth
Breitbart traces back to 2005, when Andrew Breitbart first launched an early version of the site. At the start, it was a news aggregator linking to stories from wire services and other outlets. (Wikipedia)
Breitbart worked closely with figures like Matt Drudge in the early years — Drudge was a key promoter of the site and helped drive traffic. (Wikipedia)
By 2007, it had expanded beyond aggregation into original content. Andrew Breitbart and his team framed the site as a conservative alternative to popular online news platforms. (Wikipedia)
Mission and Editorial Focus
From the beginning, Breitbart wasn’t neutral. Its editorial mission — articulated by its leaders — was to take an unapologetically political direction, favoring conservative causes and attacking opponents. (Wikipedia)
Senior editors have openly said Breitbart aims to wage ideological "war" on targets they see as enemies, including:
The mainstream media
The Democratic Party and liberal institutions
The Republican establishment (when they see it as insufficiently conservative) (Wikipedia)
The site typically focuses on U.S. politics, immigration, cultural controversies, critiques of feminism and Islam, and narratives about mainstream media bias. (Wikipedia)
Where It Stands Politically
Mainstream analysts and media researchers place Breitbart on the far-right end of the political spectrum. It’s often described as hyper-partisan right in terms of bias, with reliability assessments questioning its consistency. (Ad Fontes Media)
Academic and journalistic accounts link Breitbart with movements like the alt-right or alt-lite: groups and outlets that oppose mainstream conservatism and embrace nationalist or populist rhetoric. (Wikipedia)
Scholars have noted that its commentary often leverages emotionally framed narratives and challenges to mainstream journalism as part of how it builds credibility among its readership. (Orca)
Controversies, Misinformation, and Bias
Breitbart’s rise has been tied to multiple controversies:
False or misleading stories: The site has published content later debunked or criticized by fact-checkers for inaccuracies or conspiracy framing. (Wikipedia)
Climate denial narratives: It has published climate change skeptical pieces that misrepresent scientific literature, drawing criticism from experts. (Wikipedia)
Election misinformation spread: Studies of social media content show Breitbart’s political posts contributing to partisan narratives, particularly around elections. (cip.uw.edu)
Researchers and media analysts often describe Breitbart’s overall reliability as questionable, even in the context of partisan media — meaning it mixes opinion with reportage in ways that traditional journalism standards would not. (Ad Fontes Media)
Trust in Breitbart varies sharply by political affiliation. Surveys indicate that virtually no Democrats trust it, while a minority of Republicans may see it as trustworthy. (Pew Research Center)
Influence on Political Media
In the mid-2010s, Breitbart became influential in conservative and right-wing digital media, especially during the 2016 U.S. presidential election cycle. It was one of the most widely visited politically oriented sites in that sphere. (Wikipedia)
The site’s editorial style — combative toward mainstream outlets and establishment voices — shaped how some conservative audiences consumed media and challenged what counted as legitimate news coverage. (Orca)
This environment, where audiences consume politically aligned news rather than neutral reporting, has become a significant feature of American media in recent years.
Economic and Audience Shifts
Breitbart experienced rapid growth at first, in part because aggregation and link sharing helped push traffic. But by late 2010s and beyond, readership declined significantly from peak levels. (Wikipedia)
Advertiser boycotts in the mid-2010s — most notably from groups pressured by the Sleeping Giants campaign — cut many ad relationships, leading to revenue losses. (Wikipedia)
Despite that contraction, Breitbart still maintains an active audience, especially among conservative readers and digital communities. It continues to publish daily content, particularly around political news and analysis. (Breitbart)
Breitbart in the Broader Media Landscape
Breitbart sits within a broader shift in how news is consumed in the U.S.:
Audiences increasingly choose news outlets aligned with their politics rather than neutral reporting.
Far-right and far-left outlets both draw highly partisan engagements.
Social media algorithms amplify partisan content for some user groups.
In this landscape, outlets like Breitbart have become part of echo chambers — places readers go to reaffirm preexisting views rather than test them. That’s a significant change from traditional journalism norms. It’s not unique to Breitbart, but it’s a key example of how media has evolved. (Ad Fontes Media)
Key Takeaways
Breitbart.com is a far-right American news and opinion website founded in 2007 by Andrew Breitbart. (Wikipedia)
Its editorial mission pushes conservative viewpoints and challenges mainstream media narratives. (Wikipedia)
The site has been criticized for bias, misinformation, and controversial content. (Ad Fontes Media)
Trust in the outlet is highly polarized across political lines. (Pew Research Center)
Breitbart has played a role in shaping partisan media ecosystems in the U.S. over the last decade. (Orca)
FAQ
Is Breitbart a mainstream news outlet?
No. It’s generally classified as a conservative or far-right opinion and commentary site rather than a neutral mainstream news organization. (Ad Fontes Media)
Who founded Breitbart.com?
Andrew Breitbart, a conservative journalist and commentator, founded it. Larry Solov later became CEO. (Wikipedia)
Does Breitbart publish original reporting?
Yes — it has original articles and commentary, but much of the content is opinionated and aligned with political positions. (Breitbart)
Is Breitbart considered reliable?
Independent media bias and fact-checking organizations rate Breitbart as heavily biased and mixed in reliability. (Ad Fontes Media)
How influential is it today?
While its readership is lower than its peak years, it still influences conservative media conversations and political discourse online. (Wikipedia)
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