Post: #1

What sources of news and information do you guys use to stay current with events going on in the world? Who do you trust most to give fair reporting?

I used some Delta miles to buy a subscription to The Economist for the last year and think it's probably the best weekly news mag out there for general world coverage and keeping me up to date. I don't feel like it's dumbed down or entertainment-oriented. They use some words that make me bust out my dictionary. They seem fairly well balanced and have coverage about parts of the world you would think don't even exist if you only read American media.

I also have been watching the BBC America channel on cable and think it's way superior to CNN/FOX/MSNBC. The reporting is dry and dull but when it comes to news, that's probably what it should be. American media is very sensational and entertainment-oriented compared to other countries.

I used to also have a subscription to the Wilson Quarterly which is more of an intellectual journal going into deep analysis about current issues and ideas. I may re-subscribe soon.

What about you guys?

Post: #2

I think BBC is best.

The thing is, Americans are so stupid that CNN/FOX/MSNBC have to be "sensational and entertainment-oriented" for anyone to watch them.

If they weren't like that, literally, no one would tune in.

That being said, I do sometimes flip over to FOX/MSNBC just to find out what the retards (ie the majority of America) are thinking.

Post: #3

I look at the news from a wide variety of sources, from Fox News to Al Jazeera English. BBC is always a respectable and reliable bet, but I like to get it from all angles and formulate my own opinion. I live in Korea, and some of the mainstream news take on this place is hilarious to me.

I like to watch Fox News, not because I agree with it, but because I love to see the tactics of the little snakes who brainwash middle America and convince them to support the forces which are ultimately responsible for destroying them.

Some of the most informed people whom I've met in my travels have been higher ranking NCO's in the US military. Those dudes know the score- to become a high ranking NCO, you need a combination of general smarts, as well as street smarts. They're also given a bit more information and a lot of them can put 2 and 2 together and know exactly what's going on. Also, some of the lower ranking officers. I havent's made friends with anyone above a Captain though. If you know anyone in the service who is E-6 or above, listen to what they have to say. The same goes for Canadian Army, which I used to be in.

Post: #4

I don't watch TV news any more at all. When I did I only ended up being pissed of at the shallow and angled reporting.

The best sources for what's happening in the world in my mind are:

News at a glance - CNN website (though stay away from the front page)
News - The Economist
Fashion - GQ
Travel - flyertalk.com, tripadvisor.com, Conde Nast Traveller
Documentaries - History Channel, Discovery Channel
Satire of current events - The Onion

Post: #5

The Economist is my first port of call for summaries of what's going on in the world.

I also like The Week a lot http://theweek.com - you can pick it up in most newsagents.

As for dailies the FT is by far the best.

Post: #6

Al Jazeera.

Post: #7

Apart from watching the Yanks struggle through the Gold Cup I haven't watched TV as well.

Quick overview: I go to drudge and scan the links.
Fashion: Sartorialist
World News: The Beeb
Le Parvenue touches on culture, style and finance.. A good read as well.

Post: #8

I agree on BBC, and Al Jazeera English has some excellent journalism covering some areas of the world that you just wouldn't hear too much about normally, also covers a lot of the protests going on around the world.

Bloomberg Businessweek is a good mag, and Bloomberg is also a great channel (a lot more pleasurable to watch than CNBC except for looking at Maria Bartiromo's tired face) to get a view of the markets and the business/economic world.

Foreign Affairs mag is a view into some of the thoughts that are influencing foreign policy.

Post: #9

The Young Turks on youtube! Super real group of people, good stories, good mix of serious and fun commentary.

Post: #10

I read and watch mainly French media, specially Le Monde Diplomatique as well as French radio stations. I find French media to be very fair and objective, the complete opposite of the North American and specially American media, which G perfectly summed up as being not only too entertainment oriented but also way too partial. In the American media, you only hear one side of the story while elsewhere, you have more objective reporting. I also watch and read Brasilian media like O'Globo newspaper online and Italian as well with watching Italian news on tv. When I'm bored and want a good laugh, I turn on CNN and Fox. For objective and informative real world news, I look at the above mentioned sources. Al Jazeera is also very good even tough at times, they are way too much pro Arab, the complete opposite of American media. NHK (English speaking channel and radio station from Japan) is also a great source of objective and informative news.

Post: #11

drudgereport

Post: #12

The Economist, Al Jazeera English, The Schiff Report (YouTube).

Post: #13

in order

1. zerohedge (for important stuff)
2. drudgereport (to get an idea of what the masses are consuming)

everything else seems like a waste of time to me.

Post: #14

I can't watch American "News" anymore. Any station that has any form of tabloid coverage can't be taken seriously if you ask me.

Unfortunately, most of America buys into this crap.

I get it though. These companies are out to make money, not show you the news. Entertainment sells, real news coverage doesn't.

Eh, I guess it's only a matter of time before the world turns out like Idiocracy:

Post: #15

I don't watch TV at all really. I basically read the Economist to understand the major issues each week while I use the Financial Times for the daily info.

Post: #16

I don't have cable, so I usually stick with YouTube channels. Fortunately, there are lots of channels available with dozens of videos uploaded daily from around the world. What I do is subscribe to them all with my YouTube account so every time I log in I get their new uploads/updates reported to me. Here are the ones I use:

Al-Jazeera English: This one is quite possibly the best one out there IMO. Vids come up every day, they're well reported, and have good footage. They're also very diverse-you'll hear about important things, but if you'd also like to know more about the plight of sugarcane farmers in the Dominican Republic, they'll tell you about that too. There are nearly 22,000 videos on the channel going back for over half a decade.

Their YouTube channel also has a live stream, which you can see in the link.

http://www.youtube.com/user/AlJazeeraEng...end=1&ob=5

Newsupload2010: This is another fantastic channel. It is an amateur effort that collects and posts dozens of videos a day(they have nearly 7000 so far) from a host of news channels including RussiaToday, China's CCTV, Russia's RiaNovosti, PressTV, and several others that don't have their own Youtube channels(though RussiaToday does have a channel you can check out as well). It is like a one stop shop.

http://www.youtube.com/user/newsupload2010

AFP: News from around the world. Regular daily story uploads, over 10,000 vids so far. Includes raw news footage of important events and actual stories. Very good overall.

http://www.youtube.com/user/AFP

The Associated Press: This is the largest news channels I have seen on youtube with the largest stream of uploads(over 46,000 videos total as of this writing). More US-Centric than the other channels I'm listing here.
http://www.youtube.com/user/AssociatedPress

Journeyman Pictures: MASSIVE documentary channel, easily the biggest of its kind on Youtube. Tens of thousands of documentaries all in one place. Most of them are made in Australia, but they cover EVERY topic in almost EVERY place you can think of, and go back as far as 1995. Check it out, its something good to have on nights when you're kind of bored.
http://www.youtube.com/user/journeymanpictures


Euronews: News from Europe.
http://www.youtube.com/user/Euronews

France24English: International news 24/7. Its like a French BBC.
http://www.youtube.com/user/france24english

LinkTV: Viewer supported agency delivering international news, as well as detailed focus on middle-eastern topics. They have very interesting topics every week.
http://www.youtube.com/user/linktv

ITNNews: Another big BBC rival. Mostly news from the United Kingdom, but they cover larger European topic too.
http://www.youtube.com/user/itnnews

NTVKenya: If for whatever reason you care what is going on in Kenya and in the rest of East Africa specifically, then you'll want to follow this channel.
http://www.youtube.com/user/NTVKenya

and here is another big Kenyan news channel:
http://www.youtube.com/user/standardgroupkenya

TVJ: This user uploads entertainment and current events news from Jamaica, so if you also care what happens there you can check it out. He's got music and stuff as well.
http://www.youtube.com/user/InfamouzRedzz

That's all I got.

Post: #17

The Economist is THE BEST.

I like bloomberg for finance stuff.

I like the op-eds from the NYT and the Washington Post.

Zerohedge is just doom and armaggedon.

Post: #18

(06-21-2011 02:39 PM)bars Wrote:  Zerohedge is just doom and armaggedon.

you misspelled "truth and reality"

Post: #19

Anyone know if the BBC phone app is any good? I'm never home and need one for my phone to keep up wth world news.

Post: #20

On TV, I like Aljazeera English, very impartial in my opinion; I also watch BBC and Russia Today.

I read The Economist, it's pretty good, but it's strongly biased towards the neoliberal, free market bullshit that is screwing up the European and American economies.

Other good sources of information in English are New Left Review (excellent!), Le Monde Diplomatique, ATTAC, Counterpunch, and the websites of Naomi Klein, Noam Chomsky and James Petras.

I read the Scottish Left Review since I lived in Edinburgh, but it's only for those with an interest in Scotland. And Common Dreams for American issues.

Post: #21

(06-16-2011 05:07 AM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  I think BBC is best.

The thing is, Americans are so stupid that CNN/FOX/MSNBC have to be "sensational and entertainment-oriented" for anyone to watch them.

If they weren't like that, literally, no one would tune in.

That being said, I do sometimes flip over to FOX/MSNBC just to find out what the retards (ie the majority of America) are thinking.

G,

Since you've travelled around, you must realize that outside of Europe, most of the world is still far more ignorant about things then Americans are.

Post: #22

Personally being from the UK , I can't stand the BBC, it's impartiality is a myth and it is full of left-wing propaganda. Although the BBC's Sports coverage is very good I have to say. I try not to read the news too much.

The Economist is great when I have a chance, although very deep sometimes and not always great if you want a 'quick glance.'

Agreed with Bloomberg for finance.

Tim Ferris recommends not to read the news, but sometimes difficult when you just wanna see what's going on in the world.

Post: #23

(06-21-2011 02:39 PM)bars Wrote:  I like the op-eds from the NYT and the Washington Post.

Translation: "I'm a far-left liberal".

Post: #24

(07-18-2011 07:33 PM)jariel Wrote:  

(06-21-2011 02:39 PM)bars Wrote:  I like the op-eds from the NYT and the Washington Post.

Translation: "I'm a far-left liberal".

Ross Douthat, David Brooks, and Thomas Friedman have good stuff too.

Post: #25

Does the LA Times raise any red-flags? I like the quality of their articles and mostly stumble on to them via Google News.