The Daily Signal
The Daily Signal is an American conservative news and opinion website. The Heritage Foundation think tank launched the site in 2014. Since June 2024, The Daily Signal has been an independent media organization with its own board; according to its editors, its conservative principles have remained unchanged.
What you will find
The site publishes news, commentary, podcasts, and videos about American politics. Its coverage of gender includes reporting on legislation in the states, lawsuits, education policy, sports, and gender-affirming care for minors.
Why it is on this list
The Daily Signal shows how the American conservative movement views and reports on gender policy. Because of its origins at the Heritage Foundation, a think tank with a clearly conservative agenda, the site is not a neutral source. Its reporting is useful for identifying developments, alongside the overviews under policy by country and legal.
Founding and background
The Daily Signal launched in June 2014 as a project of the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank in Washington, D.C. The think tank had previously operated two media outlets of its own. Townhall, a news and opinion website, was sold to Salem Communications in 2005. The blog The Foundry was phased out in 2014 to make way for The Daily Signal. At launch, the editorial team consisted of twelve staff members, supplemented by freelancers, and had an annual budget of $1 million. The aim was to publish stories that, according to the editors, received little or no attention elsewhere.
Editorial team and funding
Until it became independent on June 3, 2024, The Daily Signal was funded entirely by the Heritage Foundation. Since then, the site has had its own board and leadership. Robert Bluey is president and executive editor. He previously worked at Human Events and the Media Research Center. Editor-in-chief Katrina Trinko was a political reporter at National Review, and managing editor Tyler O'Neil joined from Fox News. This list also includes a profile of National Review.
How to use and assess this source
The Daily Signal reports from a conservative perspective on American politics, domestic and foreign policy, and culture. News and commentary appear side by side, and the choice of topics follows the editorial team's political agenda. The site is useful for seeing which bills and lawsuits are being considered in U.S. states, for example concerning gender and sports. Then read the legislation or ruling itself, and compare the report with a source representing a different perspective. A related site on this list is The Daily Caller. The background to American policy can be found under international developments.