Looking for web site information for "good" news sources

January 2, 2008 6:05 AM

Any sources for real good positive news and information?

As someone who sits in front of a computer at least 12 hours a day I spend a lot of my day skimming the various news web sites like CNN, MSNBC, NYT and other media sites.

To try to reduce stress in my life I am considering spending my news web site surfing time by reading news web sites that offer only "good news". Stories that warm the heart and also inspire thought.

Any suggestions for news or media web sites that only focus on positive energy stories going on around the world while still keeping me informed of current issues?

posted by randomthoughts to computers & internet (7 comments total)

happynews.com seems to be what you're after.
posted by burnmp3s at 6:11 AM on January 2, 2008

ode magazine
posted by healthyliving at 6:15 AM on January 2, 2008

There's Positive News, which has international news of the hopeful, green, pacifist variety. (I only specify the politics because one person's "positive news" might not be everyone's.)

Depending on where you live you might keep an eye out for newspaper boxes or stacks of copies in coffeeshops carrying the paper edition, which as I recall has some local content as well. (I've seen this in Ithaca, NY, for one data point.)
posted by aught at 7:59 AM on January 2, 2008

I used to read ThingsAreGood before I realized that I had the opposite problem from you.
posted by mkb at 8:03 AM on January 2, 2008

You might check out Yes Magazine. They're on the lefty side of things, focused on positive solutions... I met their outreach manager at a conference recently, and it seems like they're doing good work.
posted by hwickline at 8:31 AM on January 2, 2008

I hope this isn't considered a derail... but I think the idea that mainstream news outlets are just full of doom and gloom is a huge exaggeration, albeit a very commonplace one. IMHO, you would be more successful at developing a less stressed, more optimistic worldview by actively training yourself, during your news web surfing time, to find the more positive stories on those sites. (Plus, that way, you won't miss the most important of the more gloomy stories, which I'd argue it's important to know about and not hide away from.)

Every day in the NYT and elsewhere, there's news of scientific breakthroughs, quirky slices of life from throughout the world, travel features from stunning places, positive reviews of big new literary masterpieces, interviews with people trying to change the world for the better, the latest news (usually upbeat) from the worlds of fashion or food, if that's your thing... etcetera. I promise!
posted by game warden to the events rhino at 10:18 AM on January 2, 2008

It's a small one, but Bouphonia's Friday Hope Blogging feature satisfies your criteria nicely: thoughtful and positive, lots of great links, with an environmental/science bent.
posted by mediareport at 10:28 PM on January 2, 2008