Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
FAIRS ORGANIZATIONAL MISSION IS TO MONITOR, RESEARCH AND DOCUMENT MEDIA REPORTING FOR INACCURACIES AND BIAS AND MAKE THIS INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC. THIS PURPOSE IS FULFILLED WITH PUBLICATION OF THE NEWSLETTER EXTRA!, THE BROADCAST OF THE WEEKLY RADIO SHOW COUNTERSPIN AND PUBLISHING THIS INFORMATION ON ITS WEBSITE FAIR.ORG.
- Income
- $551,123
- Spending
- $628,918
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- 12.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 90%
- Employees
- 10
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $600, secretary
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 63% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 12.4 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 19% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 14% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 25% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 70 out of 100. Higher than 42% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
18 of 254 of 4 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
12 of 15Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (5)
- $217,035 spent. FAIR IS THE PUBLISHER OF THE NEWSLETTER EXTRA! EXTRA! PUBLISHES WELL-DOCUMENTED ARTICLES EXAMINING INACCURATE OR BIAS REPORTING, CENSORED NEWS, PRESS/STATE CRONYISM, THE POWER OF CORPORATE OWNERS AND ADVERTISERS, AND THE EXCLUSION OF PROGRESSIVE VOICES IN THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA.
- $172,489 spent. FAIR RESEARCHES AND ANALYZES NEWS REPORTS FOR EXAMPLES OF BIAS AND INACCURACIES. IT ALSO DOCUMENTS INSTANCES OF CORPORATE AND ADVERTISING INFLUENCE IN THE NEWS. WITH STUDIES, REPORTS AND INTERVIEWS FAIR PRESENTS FACT-BASED INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC WITH ITS PRINT NEWSLETTER, WEEKLY RADIO SHOW AND WEBSITE.
- $121,145 spent. COUNTERSPIN IS THE WEEKLY HALF-HOUR RADIO SHOW OF FAIR THAT BROADCASTS ON OVER 150 NON-COMMERCIAL STATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. IT IS ALSO AVAILABLE ONLINE. THE SHOW COVERS A NUMBER OF NEWS ITEMS FROM THE PAST WEEK AND THEN CONDUCTS INTERVIEWS ON TWO MAJOR NEWS STORIES BY EXPERTS IN THE FIELD.
- FAIRS ACTIVISM INVOLVES ENCOURAGING MEMBERS TO COMMUNICATE TO JOURNALISTS TO DEMAND MORE RESPONSIBLE REPORTING. FAIR WORKS TO INVIGORATE THE FIRST AMENDMENT BY ADVOCATING FOR GREATER DIVERSITY IN THE PRESS AND BY SCRUTINIZING MEDIA PRACTICES THAT MARGINALIZE PUBLIC INTEREST, MINORITY AND DISSENTING VIEWPOINTS. AT PRESENT FAIR HAS AN ONLINE ACTIVISM LIST OF OVER 55,000.
- FAIRS ACTIVISM INVOLVES ENCOURAGING MEMBERS TO COMMUNICATE TO 0. 0. 0.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since May 1988.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.