Build Better News Datasets: Why Source Filtering Matters in News APIs

The Invisible Filter Behind Every Response

Before sentiment is calculated, before event clusters form, before your system ingests a single article — there's already a filter in place.
Not in your code logic. Not in your analytics engine.
But in something quieter, deeper, and more decisive:
Which sources are included in your dataset.

In the world of NewsAPI.ai, source selection isn’t just a background setting. It’s your first editorial decision — and arguably your most important one.

Whether you’re building a risk monitoring tool, feeding a machine learning model, or powering a finance dashboard with real-time headlines, the results you get will always reflect the sources you allow.

Your API Filters Are Editorial Choices

NewsAPI.ai aggregates articles from 150,000+ global sources, in 60+ languages, updated in near real-time.
But not all sources are created equal.

Some are regional broadcasters.
Some are niche tech blogs.
Some are government sites, PR wires, or mainstream media giants.
And yes — some are noisy, redundant, or barely monitored fringe publishers.

That's why NewsAPI.ai gives you precise filtering control through the API — so you can build your dataset intentionally, not accidentally.

You don’t just query what happened.
You query where it was reported, who wrote it, and what kind of outlet published it.

Source Filters at a Glance

Here’s a quick overview of the most important source-related filters in NewsAPI.ai:

What These Filters Actually Mean

Here’s a more detailed look at how each of these filters works — and how you can use them effectively.

sourceUri

This lets you include or exclude specific domains like bbc.co.uk, cnn.com, or politico.eu.
Perfect for:

• Whitelisting only trusted outlets
• Testing how different brands report the same issue

sourceLocationUri

Targets news sources based in a specific country.
This doesn’t mean the article is about that country — it means the publisher is located there.
Use it when you want:

• Local perspectives (e.g. French media vs. US media)
• Regional narrative comparison

sourceGroupUri

Group-level filtering based on media type or domain.
Examples:

• general/Business → business outlets
• general/Gossip → gossip and tabloid sources
• general/Science → scientific media

This is a powerful way to segment thematic media ecosystems.

authorUri

Filters by the article’s author. You can include or exclude named journalists or contributors.
Use this when:

• Tracking narratives from repeat reporters
• Identifying bias or verifying sources

lang

Specifies the language of the article. Use ISO3 codes like eng, deu, zho, ara, etc.
Essential when:

• Comparing sentiment across regions
• Avoiding auto-translated or irrelevant content

startSourceRankPercentile + endSourceRankPercentile

Controls source filtering based on Alexa traffic rankings, expressed as percentiles.

• 0 = top-ranked (highest traffic)
• 100 = lowest-ranked (least traffic)

For example:

• 0–10 → includes only the top 10% of most-visited sources
• 90–100 → focuses on long-tail, low-traffic domains

Use this to:

• Limit analysis to highly trusted, widely followed media
• Explore how lesser-known outlets frame the same topic

ignoreSourceUri, ignoreSourceGroupUri, ignoreLang, etc.

Use these to exclude specific sources, groups, or languages from results.
It’s your cleanup tool when:

• You know which outlets to avoid
• You want to prevent content repetition or misinformation

Why It Matters for You

Let’s say two developers query the same topic — e.g., "ICJ AND Israel" — within the same timeframe.
One includes only top-ranked Western sources.
The other uses a regional filter for Arabic or South African media.

They’ll get two completely different datasets.

Same topic. Same API.
Different source filters = different narrative landscapes.

If you're building:

• Dashboards → real-time results should be relevant, not redundant.
• Risk monitors → niche blogs and press releases can drown out critical signals.
• Geopolitical tools → regional bias must be transparent and manageable.

Example: Precision by Filter

Let’s imagine you're building a pipeline to monitor political sentiment shifts in Europe.

With NewsAPI.ai, you can:

{
"sourceLocationUri": ["http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France"],
"lang": ["fra"],
"startSourceRankPercentile": 0,
"endSourceRankPercentile": 10,
"categoryUri": ["dmoz/Society/Politics"]
}

You’ve just scoped your results to:
• French-language articles
• From French publishers
• Ranked in the top 10%
• About political topics

That’s not just a query. That’s a curated data stream.

Filtering Is Not About Limiting — It's About Clarity

The API doesn’t force you to restrict results.
It gives you the tools to reduce distortion.

Want to know how mainstream vs. fringe outlets frame the same event?
Compare endSourceRankPercentile=10 with startSourceRankPercentile=90.

Want to analyze how tech media and gossip sites cover a celebrity scandal?
Compare results from:

"sourceGroupUri": ["general/Technology"]

vs.

"sourceGroupUri": ["general/Gossip"]

Filtering isn’t about narrowing your view.
It’s about seeing more clearly.

Try It Yourself

NewsAPI.ai is developer-friendly from day one:

• Explore the documentation
• Book a demo
• Start your free trial and test your filters in the sandbox

TL;DR

If you control your filters, you control your data.
And if you control your data, you control your insight.

That’s why every API call starts with a choice:
What sources will you trust to shape your view of reality?

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I filter sources when using a news API?

With NewsAPI.ai, you can filter sources using parameters like sourceUri (specific domains), sourceGroupUri (topical groups), and sourceLocationUri (publisher's geographic location). These filters help you tailor your dataset to trusted, relevant sources.

Can I get news only from specific countries or regions using a news API?

Yes. In NewsAPI.ai, use the sourceLocationUri parameter to retrieve content from sources based in specific countries or cities — ideal for comparing local vs. global perspectives.

How do I filter articles by publisher credibility in a news API?

NewsAPI.ai lets you control source credibility with startSourceRankPercentile and endSourceRankPercentile, which are based on web traffic rankings. Set these to target top-tier media or niche, independent sources.

Can I exclude certain websites, authors, or content types in a news API?

Yes — use ignoreSourceUri, ignoreAuthorUri, or ignoreSourceGroupUri in NewsAPI.ai to remove known domains, specific journalists, or entire media types (like press releases or gossip sites).

Does source filtering affect news sentiment analysis?

Absolutely. While sentiment algorithms run the same way, filtering your source pool changes which articles are analyzed — which in turn affects tone, regional framing, and insight accuracy.