I start my day reading news on X - what's trending in the news/politics section and read articles of interest posted there. I find that by the time I sit down to watch the evening news (typically, Bret Baier is all I watch), I've heard it all already. I try to support independent writers, so I pay for and read a lot of substacks (like yours!!). I'm also in quite a few signal and WhatsApp groups that are of interest and read lots of news posted in those groups - we can then chat about the articles too. It's a whole new way of consuming news for me.
I have notice the difference when buying the paper. I buy the West County Times and the Chron on Sundays only. There used to be two stacks of each paper because they were bulky and now there is only one. I bought the Chron daily until the sales tax went up and I just buy on Sundays. I saved $80/month that way and it goes into my joint account for taxes, etc. I read the Chron online and use the West County for obituaries. I also get stuff from Facebook, LinkedIn and Real Clear Politics. I can almost see the built-in biases in all the news media. I also stopped watching the Sunday news shows and only watched This Week when Chris Christie was on (I met him at the Commonwealth Club pre-covid) and he was a very approachable guy. And as Solomon said, it is basically all opinion anyway.
I read Chris Christie's "Let Me Finish," and "Republican Rescue." A Republican who was elected twice as governor of deep blue New Jersey merits attention - in my view.
Yes I totally agree. When I talked to him I said that he should have been either Trump's running mate or his AG. He said those were the only two jobs he really wanted. Trouble is that no one would be willing to elect two loud-mouths to anything and if he had been AG, Trump would not have had the problems that he faced during his first administration.
Anyone interested in learning about the final glory days of U.S. newspapers should read Al Neuharth's 1989 autobiography titled "Confessions of a S.O.B." Neuharth, born into a German-speaking family in Eureaka, South Dakota during 1924, lost his father at age two, grew up during the Great Depression and somehow ended up serving as the President and Chief Executive Officer Gannett (the largest newspaper chain in the country) from 1973 to 1989. He founded USA Today before he retired. I'm reading the book now, quite a tale for those interested in newspapers.
I live in a rural area in the Northern California Sierras. Our county population is less that 18,000 (and probably even less since the Dixie Fire destroyed Greenville and the rebuild is slow and small). We *had* an actual paper until COVID hit and the owners decided to shut down. A small group of "journalists" in our area started an online "newspaper". Unfortunately, they are limited in what they can do.
Our county has some serious issues with governance, business, environment, etc. and so few people know about it. We also have alot of people that move here because they want to escape bigger city life, commune with nature, or retire to a slower way of living (me!).
I know quite a few local people that do not 'do social media' or go online for local news (they probably do for the national stuff). How can information get out to those people absent something in writing they can pick up at the local store? I'm part of a group of people that are trying to spread the word via email reports on Board of Supervisors meetings to my blog to basically chatting up people wherever we go. We are probably reaching maybe 5% of our population that way.
It's almost like a way of keeping people in the dark now that print/local media is dying or dead. Not sure what the answer is, but some of us are trying :)
I enjoy listening to the BBC World Service. I refuse to watch the hyper-partisan cable news programs and remain a newspaper man; I currently have digital subscriptions (which cost peanuts) to the Desert Sun (Palm Springs), USA Today, San Diego Union Tribune, and Denver Post. I remember when virtually every hotel in America slipped a copy of USA Today (the 1st newspaper in the country to be printed in color) under the doors to hotel rooms at no cost. Terse fact-based stories, clear graphics, and a surprisingly good sports section. I'm still a fan.
In my city, there is a neighborhood newspaper that is immensely popular. Young people wanted it to be online to share articles more easily and about 5 years ago, they did go online and are still going strong as far as I can see. They get a lot of local business support for ads. As far as national and world News, I always enjoyed the San Francisco Chronicle, the New York Times, and The Economist when i could get them on the Kindle. Now, I still subscribe and use apps, which is more cumbersome to get through, but I still want to read news, not opinions from social media.
I am sorry to hear that, Solomon. There are good news organizations, and there is fine reporting among some of the worst. If you are looking for coverage that is more neutral, try News Nation. Let me know how it goes.
I start my day reading news on X - what's trending in the news/politics section and read articles of interest posted there. I find that by the time I sit down to watch the evening news (typically, Bret Baier is all I watch), I've heard it all already. I try to support independent writers, so I pay for and read a lot of substacks (like yours!!). I'm also in quite a few signal and WhatsApp groups that are of interest and read lots of news posted in those groups - we can then chat about the articles too. It's a whole new way of consuming news for me.
I have notice the difference when buying the paper. I buy the West County Times and the Chron on Sundays only. There used to be two stacks of each paper because they were bulky and now there is only one. I bought the Chron daily until the sales tax went up and I just buy on Sundays. I saved $80/month that way and it goes into my joint account for taxes, etc. I read the Chron online and use the West County for obituaries. I also get stuff from Facebook, LinkedIn and Real Clear Politics. I can almost see the built-in biases in all the news media. I also stopped watching the Sunday news shows and only watched This Week when Chris Christie was on (I met him at the Commonwealth Club pre-covid) and he was a very approachable guy. And as Solomon said, it is basically all opinion anyway.
I read Chris Christie's "Let Me Finish," and "Republican Rescue." A Republican who was elected twice as governor of deep blue New Jersey merits attention - in my view.
I like Chris Christie too. But his history as a federal prosecutor works against him.
https://www.reviewjournal.com/opinion/opinion-columns/debra-saunders/for-trump-son-in-law-jared-kushner-prison-reform-is-personal/
Yes I totally agree. When I talked to him I said that he should have been either Trump's running mate or his AG. He said those were the only two jobs he really wanted. Trouble is that no one would be willing to elect two loud-mouths to anything and if he had been AG, Trump would not have had the problems that he faced during his first administration.
Anyone interested in learning about the final glory days of U.S. newspapers should read Al Neuharth's 1989 autobiography titled "Confessions of a S.O.B." Neuharth, born into a German-speaking family in Eureaka, South Dakota during 1924, lost his father at age two, grew up during the Great Depression and somehow ended up serving as the President and Chief Executive Officer Gannett (the largest newspaper chain in the country) from 1973 to 1989. He founded USA Today before he retired. I'm reading the book now, quite a tale for those interested in newspapers.
I live in a rural area in the Northern California Sierras. Our county population is less that 18,000 (and probably even less since the Dixie Fire destroyed Greenville and the rebuild is slow and small). We *had* an actual paper until COVID hit and the owners decided to shut down. A small group of "journalists" in our area started an online "newspaper". Unfortunately, they are limited in what they can do.
Our county has some serious issues with governance, business, environment, etc. and so few people know about it. We also have alot of people that move here because they want to escape bigger city life, commune with nature, or retire to a slower way of living (me!).
I know quite a few local people that do not 'do social media' or go online for local news (they probably do for the national stuff). How can information get out to those people absent something in writing they can pick up at the local store? I'm part of a group of people that are trying to spread the word via email reports on Board of Supervisors meetings to my blog to basically chatting up people wherever we go. We are probably reaching maybe 5% of our population that way.
It's almost like a way of keeping people in the dark now that print/local media is dying or dead. Not sure what the answer is, but some of us are trying :)
Yes, longevity is now the buzz word and there is a major economy around it and the media is finally catching up with it!
Yes, finally.
I enjoy listening to the BBC World Service. I refuse to watch the hyper-partisan cable news programs and remain a newspaper man; I currently have digital subscriptions (which cost peanuts) to the Desert Sun (Palm Springs), USA Today, San Diego Union Tribune, and Denver Post. I remember when virtually every hotel in America slipped a copy of USA Today (the 1st newspaper in the country to be printed in color) under the doors to hotel rooms at no cost. Terse fact-based stories, clear graphics, and a surprisingly good sports section. I'm still a fan.
BBC rocks.
In my city, there is a neighborhood newspaper that is immensely popular. Young people wanted it to be online to share articles more easily and about 5 years ago, they did go online and are still going strong as far as I can see. They get a lot of local business support for ads. As far as national and world News, I always enjoyed the San Francisco Chronicle, the New York Times, and The Economist when i could get them on the Kindle. Now, I still subscribe and use apps, which is more cumbersome to get through, but I still want to read news, not opinions from social media.
I salute your savvy choices, Monica.
I would be interested in how the neighborhood newspaper started. Can you share the name of the publication and where it's out of?
I am sorry to hear that, Solomon. There are good news organizations, and there is fine reporting among some of the worst. If you are looking for coverage that is more neutral, try News Nation. Let me know how it goes.