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Where do you go for news?


Pangloss

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Got this idea from Flareon's post in the USA thread. I thought about making this a poll, but really I'm more interested in hearing what people think about their sources and why they chose them, rather than getting some numbers on which sources are most popular.

 

Thoughts?

 

Just to kick things off, I'm subscribed (paid sub, for a course I'm taking) to the Wall Street Journal, and I have free online subs to the New York Times and the Washington Post. I also drop by CNN and MSNBC from time to time, but I usually start news runs at Google News (useful because it often slaps international links right alongside domestic ones for domestic events, so I can quickly see how the foreign press is reporting a national story).

 

Of those sources, I probably get the most out of the NY Times and the Washington Post. Especially the Times' editorial page, which counterpoints neatly with the OpinionJournal (WSJ's external opinion page). These are useful not only for the liberal and conservative perspectives I get from each, but also in the conservative and liberal counterpoints they run. (Gee... maybe I am a little too hung-up on the whole middle-of-the-road deal....)

 

This doesn't count the tech pages I generally hit in the morning, like Neowin, Wired, Slashdot, The Register, and...

 

um...

 

Okay, I seriously need to get out more....

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Google, I usually read interesting stories from a few different places. Of course when they are all using AFP or AP it's sometimes pointless. I find that most news sources are more similar than people make out, except when it comes to editorials.

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Ah yes, forgot to mention which paper I read. When I do actually get a paper, it's usually the Times or the Guardian. Although Times went to the tabloid layout which I don't like very much, so it's mainly the Guardian for me.

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I sometimes visiting cnn.com, about once a week or so. Other than that, it's just word of mouth. Aside from a narrow few issues that I care about, I don't care unless it involves reptiles.

 

I used to get news from many sources. Then I realized that a) it was depressing b) I didn't really care and c) I never used it anyway. So I stopped bothering.

 

After all, politics is simple: see who the Christian right hates the most, and vote for them. Assume all politicians are liars, cheats, and swindlers. Assume all legistlation exists merely to please special interests. Assume, in general, that all humans are corrupt, selfish and cruel.

 

That effective covers all of politics and 99.999% of the events in the world.

 

Mokele

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I watch FOX news before the Simpsons most nights, as well as reading online articles at times. I will aslo sometimes pick up a local newspaper if there is an appealing article in it.

I hope you don't take anything you see on FOX News seriously?

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I hope you don't take anything you see on FOX News seriously?

 

I don't. I understand they aren't the best news source, and I was prepared for someone to comment on it. I merely watch it out of convenience, and I am always prepared to give whatever they say some critical though.

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I purchase the Wall Street Journal on occasion. Online: nytimes.com and the washingtonpost.com. Once in a great while, I listen to NPR. I like Nina Totenburg on legal issues. Sometimes I visit law sites. Sometimes I visit psych sites. But the New York Times Sunday issue is my fav. It's just that I feel soooo guilty when I buy it. I can never get through it.

 

Mokele, I approve of your streamlined system.

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Lol! wow what a wierd article.

 

I never read the Paper anymore because we only get a local paper and they're not that good. (Star Pheonix).

Aside from that:

nytimes.com (even though i'm canadian I enjoy everything about this site)

popsci.com

Magazines:

Nat Geo

PopSci

Astronomy

Scientific American

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By the way, I'm not sure if this is clear to folks outside the US, but there's a big difference between "Fox News" and "Fox News Channel". Often when someone says "Fox News" what they're actually referring to is a local television station's nightly news broadcast. If that station is affiliated with the Fox (entertainment) network, then they generally call that station "Fox News", as in "Fox News at 6 and 11". These stations are not affiliated with the Fox News Channel in any way. Some of them contract with Fox News Channel for national story feeds, but they also contract with CNN and other outlets. There's no actual "tie" to Fox News Channel, the relationship is not direct as it is with, say, an ABC affiliate and ABC News. Some of the local Fox entertainment network affiliates are also owned by Newscorp (Murdoch), and I presume they have a closer relationship with Fox News Channel.

 

Anyway, this comes up a lot in discussions, and it seemed relevent here. I don't know which one Hellbender was referring to above, for example.

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I watch FOX news

OH! You poor young man! ;)

 

On a serious note, I get most of my news from... blogs... there, I've said it, and I am ashamed to admit it :embarass: . My preferred blog is the About.com - Atheism/Agnosticism blog, it is high quality material whenever I care to follow the religious news. For political commentary, I prefer St. Cynic - Dispatches from the Culture Wars.

 

When I'm not reading blogs, I enjoy TIME, Google News, BBC for non-US news, and follow items of interests that crop up in the "politics" section of some of the other messageboards I follow. And when I have time, I might read a Weekly World News.

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What's the difference?

 

I like news that tries to tell both sides of an issue. It's a broader perspective. As a former journalist, I like the editorial comments kept strictly out of my news stories. I rarely read editorials. If I only sought "news" stories that only confirmed my preconceived opinion, I would feel I wasn't learning much.

 

To be frank, I saw the link you posted in the immigration thread you started.

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I like news that tries to tell both sides of an issue. It's a broader perspective. As a former journalist, I like the editorial comments kept strictly out of my news stories. I rarely read editorials. If I only sought "news" stories that only confirmed my preconceived opinion, I would feel I wasn't learning much.

 

Unbiased reporting that only posts pure raw unbiased data as opposed to saturating their media with subjective commentary does not exist. Humans are irrational by nature, and their behavior will refect that.

 

 

 

To be frank, I saw the link you posted in the immigration thread you started.

 

And the link did not confirm to your preconceived opinion, so you rejected it. Afterall, you are human.

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Unbiased reporting that only posts pure raw unbiased data as opposed to saturating their media with subjective commentary does not exist. Humans are irrational by nature' date=' and their behavior will refect that.

 

And the link did not confirm to your preconceived opinion, so you rejected it. Afterall, you are human.[/quote']

 

I actually went to your other links as well.

 

Let me put it this way: When a "news" source asks for a donation to a "cause" I tend to be a little skeptical. You are right that people are often subjective but I see no reason not aspire to objectivity.

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I actually went to your other links as well.

 

Let me put it this way: When a "news" source asks for a donation to a "cause" I tend to be a little skeptical. You are right that people are often subjective but I see no reason not aspire to objectivity.

 

And what news source does not ask for money? Bandwidth, research, and general operation costs money. Major media like CNN and Fox News don't operate for free, they get money from advertising as well as from cable and satellite monthly fees. Likewise, the sites I posted also cost money to operate, so they request donations.

 

But, it all comes down to who you trust. Do you trust the CEO of Fox News and CNN in producing unbiased and truthful information? Do you trust the owners of the sites I posted? Most of us don't have the time or money to actually verify everything we read, so an element of trust is required in the news source. I trust my sources a lot more than the major media, that is all I can say.

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