US proposes linking transit funds to birth rates

Questions about this coverage

How did the left and right cover US proposes linking transit funds to birth rates?

Of the 11 outlets on this story carrying a published leaning rating, 64% are rated left, 36% are rated centre, 0% are rated right. Those percentages are shares of the rated outlets, not of every outlet that ran it, which was 12. The sections above set out what each side emphasised, in its own terms.

Is US proposes linking transit funds to birth rates left or right?

Too few of the outlets on this story carry a published leaning rating to say. 11 of them do, and this site does not characterise a field under 12: at that size one newsroom filing moves the share by ten points. The percentages above are the count as it stands.

Is the coverage of US proposes linking transit funds to birth rates biased?

US proposes linking transit funds to birth rates is one event reported by 12 outlets, and this page does not rate the story as biased or unbiased. What it publishes is the spread: which outlets ran it, where named rating organisations place each of them on the spectrum, and what each side chose to lead with. A leaning rating describes an outlet's record over time, not this article, and the two should not be run together.

Which side is not reporting US proposes linking transit funds to birth rates?

When we first saw this story, outlets rated right had barely covered it. Coverage accretes for hours after an event, so that is where to look rather than a verdict — the split above is the current count, and it is the one to read.

Which outlets covered US proposes linking transit funds to birth rates?

12 that we know of, every one of them listed further up this page with a link to its own report and to what we hold on the publisher. Nothing here is a summary of somebody else's summary: the outlets are named so the original reporting can be read.

What is the US Transportation Department proposing?

The department is proposing to revamp a federal investment program for transit projects. The changes would potentially grant additional funding to areas with above-average marriage and birth rates, a move criticised by Democrats.

How much extra funding could these areas receive?

Reports vary on the exact amount. Some outlets state the proposal could boost grants by 10%, while The Independent's full report suggests areas could be eligible for an additional 10 percentage points of their costs covered.

When can the public comment on the proposal?

The Federal Transit Administration is seeking public feedback on the proposed changes. The window for comments will remain open until November 16.

What has been the reaction to the proposal?

Democrats, including Senator Patty Murray, have criticised the plan. Murray called it 'bizarre and dystopian' and suggested it was an attempt to 'wage his backward culture wars'.