Reordered flow: Educate → Preferences → Choose path → Set priorities. Importance levels + transparent normalization.
MediaTea lets you control the algorithm that ranks your feed — and shows you exactly how every score is calculated.
Your feed is ranked by an algorithm — but unlike other apps, you control it. Here's how:
Higher priority = more influence. Set everything equal? That's a balanced feed. It's completely up to you.
Each control adjusts one or more signals that score every article. Tap "Tell me more" on any card to learn exactly what it measures.
We check every publisher's track record for accurate reporting using Media Bias/Fact Check, a respected independent watchdog. Publishers that consistently get their facts right score higher.
Think of it like a report card for journalism — the better the track record, the higher the score. AP News and Reuters typically score highest because they've maintained strong factual reporting for decades.
When a story is being covered by lots of different news outlets, that's usually a sign it matters. We measure two things:
Story Velocity — How many outlets are writing about it? A story covered by 10 outlets scores higher than one covered by 2.
Source Diversity — Is coverage coming from across the political spectrum (left, center, and right)? A story covered by all sides is likely more important than one only covered by one side.
Brand-new articles score highest. As time passes, the freshness score gradually decreases — an article from 30 minutes ago scores much higher than one from yesterday.
Set this to Max if you want breaking news at the top. Set it to Low if you're OK reading stories from the past day or two and prefer other signals to dominate.
This combines two things you'll set up next: which topics you care about (politics, tech, sports, etc.) and which publishers you prefer.
Articles matching your favorite topics from your preferred publishers get a boost. Think of it as your personal taste shaping the feed — the more you tell us what you like, the better it works.
Set your interest level for each topic. This powers the Topic Preference signal in your formula.
Set how much each publisher influences your feed. This powers the Publisher Preference signal.
Independent not-for-profit news cooperative. One of the most trusted wire services globally, supplying stories to thousands of outlets.
International wire service known for independent, unbiased reporting. Widely regarded as a gold standard in journalism.
America's newspaper of record. Known for in-depth investigative journalism and global coverage.
Major national newspaper headquartered in Washington, D.C. Known for political reporting and investigative journalism.
Major cable news channel. Largest cable news audience in the US with 24/7 news and opinion programming.
British public broadcaster. Publicly funded, editorially independent, with worldwide news operations.
Pioneered 24-hour news. Known for breaking news coverage and international reporting.
Business-focused newspaper of record. Known for financial reporting, economic analysis, and investigative work.
Non-profit media organization. Funded by member stations, corporate sponsors, and listener donations.
Leading sports media outlet. Covers all major leagues, events, and sports news worldwide.
Major US broadcast network news division. Covers national and international news, politics, and entertainment.
Technology and startup focused news outlet. Covers venture capital, startups, and tech industry trends.
Technology, science, and culture publication. Known for in-depth product reviews and tech journalism.
British newspaper owned by a trust to ensure editorial independence. No paywall, funded by reader donations.
Your topics and publishers are saved. Now decide how to set the algorithm weights.
Rate how important each signal is. The algorithm converts your priorities into proportional weights — shown live below.
| Rating | What it means | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Very High | Consistently accurate, minimal errors | 30 |
| High | Generally reliable reporting | 25 |
| Mostly | Accurate with some sensationalism | 15 |
| Mixed | Mix of factual and inaccurate content | 5 |
| Coverage | What it means | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 5+ outlets | Major story, wide coverage | 30 |
| 3–4 outlets | Notable story gaining traction | 20 |
| 2 outlets | Emerging story, limited coverage | 10 |
| 1 outlet | Single-source story | 5 |
| Age | What it means | Score |
|---|---|---|
| <1 hour | Breaking — just published | 30 |
| 1–3 hrs | Fresh — very recent news | 25 |
| 3–6 hrs | Recent — still today's news | 20 |
| 6–12 hrs | Today — published this morning | 10 |
| 12–24 hrs | Yesterday — aging story | 5 |
| Match | What it means | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Fav pub + High topic | Perfect match to your tastes | 35 |
| High interest topic | Matches a topic you love | 20 |
| Moderate topic | Somewhat matches your interests | 10 |
| Low interest | Weak connection to preferences | 5 |
Every article in your feed is now scored using your personal formula. Tap any score badge to see the exact breakdown.
Change it anytime in Settings → My Feed Formula