(crossposted from big orange)
A lot of us bemoan the state of the mainstream media. I don’t know much about TV, but I do read a lot. The typical newspaper and news magazine do not merit our consideration. Most local dailies, and magazines such as Time and Newsweek are badly written, badly edited, biased, and focus on things of truly monumental global importance like which rock star got busted for which drug charge.
What can we do?
Support the good stuff!
I read a lot. I’m liberal. I like literate writing, solid reporting, and in-depth analysis. The sort of stuff that a lot of people here on daily Kos write, and that most of the MSM doesn’t. But it’s not all darkness. If you want to read better writing, you have to support better writing. If the journals that publish what we want to read get more subscribers, then there will be more writing that we want to read.
Also, if you buy a product because you saw it in a progressive media spot, tell the company. That will help sell more ads. And, if, perchance, you like to read or look at right wing stuff….. well, you could write to advertisers in those media and say you won’t buy their stuff because they advertise there.
On to the list:
Magazines:
My vote for best magazine in America goes to Mother Jones. Month after month, they have hard-hitting, well-written and well-researched articles covering things you might not find other places, or giving depth to stories that get a paragraph, elsewhere.
Foreign Affairs– All about diplomacy, international relations, and so on. More conservative than me, but then, most things are. Mostly lengthy, scholarly articles about topics by renowned experts.
Economist – A newsmagazine from England. Also more conservative than I am, but superb writing, in depth coverage, very good stuff. Time and Newsweek – phooey. This is a newsmagazine for knowledgeable, intelligent people. But remember that they’re slanted
Hightower Lowdown Jim Hightower. Nuff said.
Wilson Quarterly in depth, scholarly writing on a wide variety of topics
Atlantic Monthly I’ve not read this.
Harper’s I sometimes read this.
der Spiegel I’ve not read this — a brief look seems to show a good but not necessarily leftist, magazine focusing on Europe
the Nation I used to subscribe…. but, while it’s good, it’s a little too irritating. Last month, Geenius at work said that “it puts you into a state of outrage overload very fast” which I think is my problem with it, too
The American Prospect Another one I’ve not read
UTNE reader describes itself thus: “Utne Reader and Utne.com are digests of independent ideas and alternative culture. Not right, not left, but forward thinking”. I do read this one, the problem I have with it is just that it is a digest. It summarizes things well, but then you have to do more research.
The Progressive looks really good. I’ve recently subscribed.
New Republic describes itself as “A journal of politics and the arts”
New Left Review is a British journal that offers (in its words): “Sharp, scholarly, analysis, interviews, and book reviews”
Le Monde Diplomatique is French (you guessed, didn’t you?) and mostly about world affairs
Yes!”supporting you in building a just and sustainable world is yet another I haven’t read. It seems more action-oriented than some of the others, and that’s good.
The New Yorker I read this very occasionally, when I see it in a waiting room or something. It looks really good … and, of course, there are the cartoons
National Geographic is another that I never got into reading. But it has good, in-depth articles with extensive reporting.
Newspapers:
I read the NY Times. It’s not as good as it could be, but it’s among the best we’ve got.
Many like the Wall Street Journal (but not the editorial page!)
And some mentioned the Washington Post
Funny Times is political comedy with a liberal slant. Not news, but funny.
Television:
I don’t watch TV…. but there’s obviously Olberman
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and we should support it
And, I’ve recently noticed, I’m not getting any contributions (is it the bad economy?) on my blog, but how can I expect any when the numbers are what they are?
Been a favorite of mine since about 1972, I was 13 (and Creem Magazine and Rolling Stone). Very little political commentary, but when there is it is spot-on. Mother Jones was another. Stuff I read while growing up and still read now (except Creem is gone).
It may not be quite what it once was, 30 or 40 years ago, but then, who is? Thirty-five years ago, even Newsweek was pretty good–and it had a weekly column by Shana Alexander that was brilliant. Those were the days!