A recent analysis by The Economist has raised concerns about potential political bias in the New York Times bestseller list against conservative authors. The study estimated that books from conservative publishers are, on average, 7% less likely to make the New York Times bestseller list than other titles with similar sales figures.
This discrepancy becomes more pronounced with books that reach the bottom ten of the Publishers Weekly list, where conservative titles are 22% less likely to appear on the list, with an even wider gap for political books specifically.
Further analysis revealed that conservative nonfiction titles that make it to the list are ranked on average 2.3 positions lower than other books with comparable sales. The study examined 250 books from conservative publishers released between June 2012 and June 2024, indicating that claims of bias could be justified.
Michael Knowles, a prominent conservative commentator, experienced this alleged bias firsthand. His book, which secured the top spot on Publishers Weekly's list upon its release in 2021, did not make it to the New York Times bestseller list despite its strong sales. Knowles, in a candid remark, pointed out that the Times seems to have a preference for a specific type of conservative.
The book "Suppression, Deception, Snobbery and Bias," written by former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer under George W. Bush, debuted at No. 6 on Publishers Weekly's nonfiction bestseller list in the summer of 2022 but was left off of the New York Times list. Fleischer expressed significant frustration over this exclusion.
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Earlier in 2024, Rob Henderson's book "Troubled," which critiques the hypocrisy of America's elite, was omitted from the New York Times bestseller list despite outperforming books ranked fourth and fifth that week according to Circana Bookscan, which monitors 85% of US print book sales.
Other conservative titles that were notably absent from the New York Times list despite strong sales include "A Time for Truth: Reigniting the Promise of America" by Senator Ted Cruz and "American Playbook: A Guide to Winning Back the Country from the Democrats" by commentator Clay Travis.
The New York Times, however, denied these allegations, asserting that the political views of authors or publishers do not influence their rankings. They explained that various bestseller lists use different methodologies, leading to discrepancies. Additionally, the study investigated the impact of "bulk buying" on rankings but found that bulk purchases did not account for the observed bias. While 53% of conservative books were flagged as potential bulk buys compared to 10% of others, controlling for this factor still showed lower rankings for conservative titles.
The New York Times maintained its stance that its bestseller list aims to reflect individual purchases while mitigating the influence of bulk buys. Regarding the secrecy surrounding their ranking methodology, The Economist argued for greater transparency in the list. They suggested that a clearer understanding of the bestseller rankings would benefit both authors and the public, providing a more accurate picture of popular books in America. They cited the case of Alex Jones, a controversial figure whose book was the second-best seller according to Bookscan but was omitted from the New York Times list, indicating a significant disconnect.
In response to these claims, The New York Times reiterated its commitment to unbiased reporting on its bestseller lists, emphasizing that conservative authors frequently rank on their lists. They also highlighted efforts to prevent manipulation through bulk purchases, ensuring that the rankings accurately represent individual consumer purchases.
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