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Media Research Center Inc

EIN 54-1429009 · Herndon, VA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair60 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE MEDIA RESEARCH CENTER DOCUMENTS AND COMBATS THE FALSEHOODS AND CENSORSHIP OF THE NEWS MEDIA, ENTERTAINMENT MEDIA AND BIG TECH IN ORDER TO DEFEND AND PRESERVE AMERICA'S FOUNDING PRINCIPLES AND JUDEO-CHRISTIAN VALUES.

Income
$15.2 million
Spending
$13.1 million
Spent on programs
77%
Reserves
3.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 96%
Employees
87
Volunteers
0
Highest pay
$425,595, president/director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 60 out of 100. Higher than 29% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 3.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 64% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 14% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 19% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    77% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 13 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    11 of 13 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 (6)
  1. $3.2 million spent. NEWS ANALYSIS DIVISION - BRINGS POLITICAL BALANCE TO THE NATION'S NEWS MEDIA BY DOCUMENTING AND COUNTERING LIBERAL BIAS FROM TELEVISION NETWORK NEWS SHOWS AND MAJOR PRINT PUBLICATIONS. NEWSBUSTERS' NEWS ARCHIVES REACHED OVER 985,000 HOURS OF PROGRAMMING, STORING IMPORTANT HISTORICAL REFERENCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO ANYONE UPON REQUEST. THERE WERE 1,057 RELATED STORIES, STUDIES, AND VIDEOS PRODUCED IN 2024 WITH 104.8 MILLION VIDEO VIEWS AND 249.2 MILLION IMPRESSIONS ONLINE. NEWSBUSTERS WAS ABLE TO EDUCATE ITS 2.7 MILLION FACEBOOK FOLLOWERS, NEARLY 245,000 X FOLLOWERS AND OVER 500,000 TRUTH SOCIAL FOLLOWERS ABOUT BIASED REPORTING IN THE MEDIA.
  2. $2.0 million spent. MRCTV - AN ONLINE MEDIA PLATFORM DESIGNED TO BROADCAST CONSERVATIVE VALUES, CULTURE, POLITICS, LIBERAL MEDIA BIAS, AND ENTERTAINMENT TO A NEW AND DIVERSE AUDIENCE ON A SOCIAL MEDIA OPTIMIZED SIGHT. MRCTV EDUCATED THE PUBLIC WITH 480.6 MILLION VIDEO VIEWS IN 2024. THIS CONTRIBUTED TO 726.2 MILLION IMPRESSIONS ONLINE WITH 583 RELATED STORIES, STUDIES, AND VIDEOS CREATED. MRCTV WAS ABLE TO EDUCATE ITS 3.2 MILLION FACEBOOK FOLLOWERS AND 97K FOLLOWERS ON X THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
  3. $2.8 million spent. MRC FREE SPEECH AMERICA - A MOVEMENT TO STOP BIG TECH CENSORSHIP OF CONSERVATIVES. THERE WERE 506 STORIES, STUDIES, AND VIDEOS USED TO EDUCATE THE MRC FREE SPEECH AMERICA AUDIENCE IN 2024. IN ADDITION, THERE WERE 11.3 MILLION VIDEO VIEWS RELATED TO FREE SPEECH CONTENT AND 84 MILLION IMPRESSIONS ONLINE. MRC FREE SPEECH AMERICA WAS ABLE TO REACH ITS 740K FACEBOOK FOLLOWERS, 140K YOUTUBE SUBSCRIBERS, AND NEARLY 120K X FOLLOWERS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
  4. $460,419 spent. BUSINESS AND MEDIA INSTITUTE - BRINGS BALANCE TO ECONOMIC REPORTING AND PROMOTES FAIR PORTRAYAL OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IN THE MEDIA BY AUDITING THE MEDIA'S COVERAGE OF THE FREE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM.
  5. $1.3 million spent. MRC ACTION - EDUCATING AND MOBILIZING THE GENERAL PUBLIC AGAINST RUNAWAY LIBERAL MEDIA BIAS.
  6. $327,127 spent. YOUTH EDUCATION AND INTERN PROGRAM - MENTORS AMERICA'S YOUTH AND EDUCATES AND TRAINS STUDENTS TO RECOGNIZE BIAS AND THE NEED FOR BALANCED JOURNALISM.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since October 1988.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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.