Help me find a progressive news source that isn't the WaPo
June 16, 2020 7:28 AM Subscribe
I'm looking for a trustworthy left-of-center daily newspaper covering US and international news. I'm bailing on the New York Times after decades of loyalty. The Washington Post would be the obvious choice, but I can't get over their triumphalist, almost clickbait-y style.
I like the Washington Post's position on the political spectrum.
But I just can't even with their tone and editorial decisions. They seem positively thrilled when Trump says something ignorant on a trivial subject, and bored when major world events happen that he's not connected to. I agree that Trump is an evil menace and a total nincompoop, but I don't need my newspaper to congratulate me on that belief every morning.
I'd like a newspaper that focuses calmly on events and analysis — including ones outside the progressive social media bubble. I'd just like that paper to be farther left than the Times in their ideas about what events are important and whose analysis is credible, and to avoid doing things like actively supporting war criminals every few years. Does that exist?
I like the Washington Post's position on the political spectrum.
But I just can't even with their tone and editorial decisions. They seem positively thrilled when Trump says something ignorant on a trivial subject, and bored when major world events happen that he's not connected to. I agree that Trump is an evil menace and a total nincompoop, but I don't need my newspaper to congratulate me on that belief every morning.
I'd like a newspaper that focuses calmly on events and analysis — including ones outside the progressive social media bubble. I'd just like that paper to be farther left than the Times in their ideas about what events are important and whose analysis is credible, and to avoid doing things like actively supporting war criminals every few years. Does that exist?
Check out the Media Bias Chart for a well-supported analysis of various media sources according to their political leanings and factual reliability. It sounds like your sweet spot might be somewhere around Mother Jones and Jacobin. The Guardian's US edition might also be of interest. For more objective but very hard-hitting investigative journalism, try Pro Publica. I'm not sure you'd enjoy The Nation -- in the past, I found that they've often tended more towards centrist liberal / Democratic party line, and it sounds like you're looking for something more left. Might be worth checking it out, though.
posted by ourobouros at 7:40 AM on June 16, 2020 [3 favorites]
posted by ourobouros at 7:40 AM on June 16, 2020 [3 favorites]
I'm sorry this is not totally responsive to your question since it's obviously not a newspaper, but I continue to think the New Yorker has stellar news coverage. I subscribed after Trump was elected and have not regretted it.
posted by ferret branca at 7:55 AM on June 16, 2020 [8 favorites]
posted by ferret branca at 7:55 AM on June 16, 2020 [8 favorites]
I think The Guardian is most likely what you are looking for.
posted by Chairboy at 7:58 AM on June 16, 2020 [10 favorites]
posted by Chairboy at 7:58 AM on June 16, 2020 [10 favorites]
The LA Times, under new ownership, has been making strides.
posted by notyou at 8:02 AM on June 16, 2020 [6 favorites]
posted by notyou at 8:02 AM on June 16, 2020 [6 favorites]
I feel bad for commenting without a positive alternative solution, but I've been personally avoiding the Guardian for consistently giving a platform to TERFs and other transphobic content over the last few years. That might not be too much shit for your milkshake, but it is too much for mine.
posted by terretu at 8:06 AM on June 16, 2020 [12 favorites]
posted by terretu at 8:06 AM on June 16, 2020 [12 favorites]
Response by poster: Yeah, the Guardian is absolutely out of the question. I often enjoy their reporting, but I'm trans myself and I can't stomach supporting them.
posted by nebulawindphone at 8:12 AM on June 16, 2020 [16 favorites]
posted by nebulawindphone at 8:12 AM on June 16, 2020 [16 favorites]
Seconding the New Yorker news section. It's more analysis and commentary rather than breaking news, but it's a lot more than just what appears in the magazine.
posted by theodolite at 8:20 AM on June 16, 2020 [3 favorites]
posted by theodolite at 8:20 AM on June 16, 2020 [3 favorites]
Like others above, I really like The Guardian. Despite being based in the UK, their coverage of the US is really good. I live in the US and prefer it to any national newspaper or news websites in the US. (They'll nag you to contribute financially, but their site's not technically paywalled.)
posted by nangar at 8:25 AM on June 16, 2020
posted by nangar at 8:25 AM on June 16, 2020
The Boston Globe, when they are not just repeating AP articles and/or firing their copyeditors, is left of center. They're the ones who first broke the Catholic church sex abuse scandal, and Cardinal Law's (lack of) role in it, in 2002.
posted by Melismata at 8:26 AM on June 16, 2020
posted by Melismata at 8:26 AM on June 16, 2020
NPR / WNYC
Also, if you live in NYC, Gothamist
posted by soy_renfield at 8:39 AM on June 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
Also, if you live in NYC, Gothamist
posted by soy_renfield at 8:39 AM on June 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
Why not just go right to the Associated Press?
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 9:26 AM on June 16, 2020 [4 favorites]
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 9:26 AM on June 16, 2020 [4 favorites]
Are you looking for an actual physical newspaper to subscribe to? Or just a news source? If just a source, I'm a big fan of Vox. Left of center, broad coverage. Their explainers are great when you need to catch up on stories you've missed or don't entirely understand the context of.
posted by greta simone at 9:32 AM on June 16, 2020
posted by greta simone at 9:32 AM on June 16, 2020
Response by poster: Doesn't need to be a physical paper, but I'd prefer something that updates daily and tries to be comprehensive.
posted by nebulawindphone at 9:34 AM on June 16, 2020
posted by nebulawindphone at 9:34 AM on June 16, 2020
Los Angeles Times has been a mostly solid source of daily newspaper coverage. It's not national in the same way as NYT or WaPo, since it's not in the financial or political capitals of the U.S. but it's more national than the SF Chron (in my opinion). They have decent international coverage (at least for Mexico and East Asia, I realize I can't say for other continents). Their newsroom is unionized and recently got a best case worst case negotiation outcome.
I basically have accepted that given newspaper ownership trends and the gutting of newsrooms, disappointment is inevitable, but subscriptions are like taxes to me in that the monies are spent both well and poorly. I can't choose which part of my admittedly meager subscription amount supports important reporting and which supports horrible op-ed sections.
Not a daily newspaper, but Propublica has been awesome for years now.
posted by spamandkimchi at 9:35 AM on June 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
I basically have accepted that given newspaper ownership trends and the gutting of newsrooms, disappointment is inevitable, but subscriptions are like taxes to me in that the monies are spent both well and poorly. I can't choose which part of my admittedly meager subscription amount supports important reporting and which supports horrible op-ed sections.
Not a daily newspaper, but Propublica has been awesome for years now.
posted by spamandkimchi at 9:35 AM on June 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
I second or third (or maybe fourth): The Guardian (I give them money regularly because I like how they keep their journalism open to everyone) and also have a sub to The New Yorker.
Will now check out Propublica as it's been mentioned so often in this thread.
posted by zenpop at 9:55 AM on June 16, 2020
Will now check out Propublica as it's been mentioned so often in this thread.
posted by zenpop at 9:55 AM on June 16, 2020
I've been relying more and more on the Financial Times for my news content. Sure - they lean towards the markets and business news but I find that they lean away from the clickbait style of reporting that I just cannot abide. They don't throw Trump in my face as much as US papers and I like their global coverage. I'm not sure I'd call them entirely left of center but you might want to check them out. They are ultimately owned by the Nikkei, a Japanese parent.
posted by rdnnyc at 10:17 AM on June 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by rdnnyc at 10:17 AM on June 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
I have found Reuters to be pretty solid.
posted by ChuraChura at 10:32 AM on June 16, 2020
posted by ChuraChura at 10:32 AM on June 16, 2020
The CS Monitor may fill your needs. Progressive, owns Pulitzers. Is not Christian, believes in science!
posted by DarlingBri at 10:38 AM on June 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by DarlingBri at 10:38 AM on June 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
The Atlantic seems to have several new articles/columns daily. I access it through Apple News but I assume this is also true on their webpage.
posted by 2 cats in the yard at 10:39 AM on June 16, 2020
posted by 2 cats in the yard at 10:39 AM on June 16, 2020
Along with LA Times and New Yorker, I have been growing my own Twitter list of smaller local outlets and specific reporters doing excellent journalism (the delightful LA Taco is way more than just tacos now, as an example), and I keep some key activists and local politicians in that list as well as they tend to link to additional good stuff, plus the main AP and Reuters fees.
I'm making this endorsement cautiously, and also don't know if they really count as a one-stop news outlet kind of thing, but...Buzzfeed News is doing some good work right now.
posted by Lyn Never at 10:40 AM on June 16, 2020
I'm making this endorsement cautiously, and also don't know if they really count as a one-stop news outlet kind of thing, but...Buzzfeed News is doing some good work right now.
posted by Lyn Never at 10:40 AM on June 16, 2020
I get the NYT as a gift from my BIL. I don't think I will ever pay for it. The things I pay for are Guardian, NYRB, Baffler and Atlantic along with Scroll.in for news from India. Most of these (except Baffler) offer daily updates.
posted by indianbadger1 at 11:37 AM on June 16, 2020
posted by indianbadger1 at 11:37 AM on June 16, 2020
They're not a daily paper, but i cannot recommend Pro Publica highly enough. They are a nonprofit with partnerships with lots of other media organizations, and they do fact-based deep investigative reporting into all sorts of things.
They aren't particularly partisan, except in the way that they want to trouble the powerful.
posted by suelac at 11:47 AM on June 16, 2020 [3 favorites]
They aren't particularly partisan, except in the way that they want to trouble the powerful.
posted by suelac at 11:47 AM on June 16, 2020 [3 favorites]
I've been consistently pleased with the New Republic. They occupy a happy place for me, somewhere between the Washington Post and Jacobin. The New Republic is more about light-news-analysis and less about direct news, but they're still nice to read.
posted by Balna Watya at 11:59 AM on June 16, 2020
posted by Balna Watya at 11:59 AM on June 16, 2020
Rddnyc says London's Financial Times, but their "efficient markets” / laissez-faire, no or self-regulation / pro-business / "no social safety net" vibe all stick in my throat and, while I'm one of their subscribers, I'm not sure it works for this answer.
-1 for ft.com
posted by k3ninho at 2:05 PM on June 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
-1 for ft.com
posted by k3ninho at 2:05 PM on June 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
The CS Monitor is 100% owned by the Church of Christ, Scientist church. Why is it leftist? Dunno, but CS usually encourages reading for understanding.
posted by fiercekitten at 8:28 PM on June 16, 2020
posted by fiercekitten at 8:28 PM on June 16, 2020
For news that "focuses calmly on events and analysis" my go-to is the BBC World Service. You can access BBC News on their site and phone app, but I greatly prefer the Global News podcast. It's under half an hour and published twice daily.
Other news sources you should try are:
* ProPublica
* The Atlantic
* The Economist
* The New Yorker
* WNYC
For a more progressive angle, Democracy Now is good.
These have already been recommended above, I'm just adding my vote.
posted by jacquilinala at 8:56 PM on June 16, 2020
Other news sources you should try are:
* ProPublica
* The Atlantic
* The Economist
* The New Yorker
* WNYC
For a more progressive angle, Democracy Now is good.
These have already been recommended above, I'm just adding my vote.
posted by jacquilinala at 8:56 PM on June 16, 2020
I'll 2nd Vox. Lately I find that about 90% of the article I fully read and enjoy are from Vox.
posted by jabes at 8:08 AM on June 18, 2020
posted by jabes at 8:08 AM on June 18, 2020
This thread is closed to new comments.
* The Guardian (UK, but does a good job on U.S. stuff.)
* Al-Jazeera
* The Nation
* Mother Jones
posted by NotLost at 7:38 AM on June 16, 2020 [4 favorites]