The Neutrality Index
Quarterly ranking of industries by information availability vs. opinion contamination. Q1 2026 Edition.
These are measurements. We have drawn no conclusions from them. The data is the data.
| Industry | Information % | Opinion % | Trend | Bar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Management Consulting | 3% | 97% | stable | |
| Financial Advisory | 6% | 94% | ↓ worsening | |
| Political Commentary | 4% | 96% | ↓ worsening | |
| Marketing | 11% | 89% | stable | |
| Legal (advisory) | 18% | 82% | stable | |
| Journalism (opinion) | 22% | 78% | ↓ worsening | |
| HR / People Consulting | 29% | 71% | ↑ improving | |
| Technology Analysis | 34% | 66% | stable | |
| Journalism (reporting) | 58% | 42% | ↑ improving | |
| Engineering | 71% | 29% | ↑ improving | |
| Medicine (evidence-based) | 79% | 21% | ↑ improving | |
| Science (peer-reviewed) | 88% | 12% | ↑ improving | |
| Genuinely Neutral Consulting | 100% | 0% | — |
Methodology
The Neutrality Index measures the ratio of falsifiable, sourced information to opinion, inference, and recommendation in communications produced by practitioners in each industry. We analyzed a sample of 2,400 documents per industry per quarter.
Classification criteria: information is defined as a statement that can be verified against external data. Opinion is defined as any statement that cannot be verified against external data, including recommendations, predictions, and evaluations.
We note that this methodology was developed by GNC and has not been reviewed by an independent body. We present this as information. You may apply whatever weight you deem appropriate.
What The Index Does Not Tell You
The Index does not tell you which industries are better or worse. It does not tell you whether high information content produces better outcomes than high opinion content. It does not tell you which industries you should trust. Those are determinations we are not positioned to make on your behalf.
Several journalists have asked us to comment on what the Index means. We have declined. The Index is the comment.
Q1 2026 · Next publication: Q2 2026 · Methodology available upon request · We have no opinion about whether you find this useful