What do I replace my WA Post subscription with? Another strong local/national media outlet in the U.S. that isn't falling in line w/ techno-fascism? Are there any still standing? Or should I look to something like Wired or an international outlet?
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PROPUBLICA!!!! @propublica.org best publication ever anywhere for investigative journalism (in better times hopefully they’ll add travel food leisure so I can work for them!
I know you’ve already gotten a lot of answers, many of mine align:
Wired is a must, ProPublica, Philly Inquirer, MS Free Press, Guardian. If you read Spanish, El Pais or La Vanguardia. There are also some independent historians/journalists like Anne Applebaum, Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Heather Cox Richardson.
Lately when I turn on NPR, there’s ridiculous stories that have absolutely nothing to do with the destruction of the country. It must be limited to news shows
Support independent journalists. Take that WP subscription fee you pay every month and find independent journalists with integrity and pay subscriptions to their sites, newsletters or sub-stack. There is still journalistic integrity in this country just not in mainstream media anymore!
Not sure if this qualifies, but we replaced WA Post with The Guardian. We also have NPR and two local papers (living in CA) that barely cover national politics. Subscribed to The Atlantic but I’m not sold on them…
Philadelphia Inquirer might be what you're looking for. Mississippi Free Press punches way above their weight. Basically I think newspapers who've organized themselves as nonprofits are doing some of the best reporting right now.
I miss the St. Petersburg Times when it was run by the Poynter Institute, a non-profit. That's how far back I go. Last good paper in FL. and it's been downhill ever since.
They’re small but I’ve been impressed by https://Semafor.com thus far. Certainly not a complete replacement though. I’d also recommend a(ny) local paper if in the area
We subscribe to the Seattle Times, The Guardian, Talking Points Memo, and contribute to ProPublica (despite the mixed quality of their COVID coverage).
Tampa Bay Times? Nonprofit extension of Poynter Foundation & j-school, dedicated staff & beats the others miss.
I also swapped in Philly Inq, already take a few lower-profile locals, Guardian, Semafor, and may pick up the FT - full of depth reporting/analysis on both sides of the pond.
Please consider supporting @muellershewrote.bsky.social or any of the many wonderful independent journos and lawyers with publications or pod casts that she promotes
@thetnholler.bsky.social focuses mainly on TN, but given that our state is a model of corruption, what happens here, often happens elsewhere. And the Holler doesn't ignore national or international news when they think it's really important.
If you don't already, consider spending some of your media time on dialogue that hovers a few levels above the daily chaos. Podcasts like "Know Your Enemy", "Ordinary Unhappiness" and "In Bed with the Right", for instance. Or am I preaching to the choir?
Already following! They rock! (Helps that I did some time as a middle schooler in middle Tennessee, so I recognize some of the local geography and cultural news as well.)
Talking Points Memo. Also, you can get all the major publications for free at the Seattle library. No need to subscribe to anything that supports fascism.
Ground news curates and fact checks and offers multiple publications on the same topic as well as taking the sensationalism out of the headlines. It really is worth it. Download https://ground.news/download and use this referral code 8787945 to get 1 month of free Premium.
Fridersdorf, Bruenig (though for different reasons), sorry can’t remember the others’ names (I canceled my subscription months ago). I like Frum, Applebaum and Nichols, though I don’t always agree with them they’re clear-eyed about the GOP. They just have too much false balance for me.
I read the guardian back when I subscribed to wapo. They are one of the few papers that make their information available for free. I subscribe now, happily.
Guardian, Philly Inquirer, Boston Globe, Wired, PBS/NPR. These are all new, since I dropped the WA Post. As to where to go for truly local, that depends where you live. I have Hartford Courant and NY Times, but neither really covers my part of CT as much as I'd like.
Yesssssssss: WIRED, Heather Cox Richardson, Robert Reich, Democracy Docket, Owen Jones, The Handbasket (Marisa Kabas), Zeteo. These are just a few! You’ll find them all on BSky. There is no longer a need for propaganda rags.
Locals depend a lot on your region But there are establish city papers like the Philidelphia Inquirer and the Miami Herald, and an increasing number of true locals like Mississippi Free Press, Tennessee Hollar, Texas Tribune etc
I second The Guardian. Also, I'm trying out Meidas News. And for local news, Geekwire, The Urbanist, and Publicola. Washington State Standard is also pretty good. Pretty balanced.
I subscribe to @theguardian.com and @wired.com for current news, @nybooks.com and @liberalcurrents.com for insight, and @thebaltimorebanner.com and @inquirer.com for local coverage.
The Guardian, esp for climate news, editorials by Robert Reich and Rebecca Solnit. The Atlantic bc they’ve been staffing up with stellar journalists. Every platform publishing Michael Harriet.
The Guarduan US
&substacks from
@hcrichardson.bsky.social
@rbhubbell.bsky.social
&, For a quick rundown akin to The 7, try substack from @aaronparnas.bsky.social
Or to follow was happening w the law try
@joycewhitevance.bsky.social
Or there is also
@contrariannews.org
I've added the Sydney Morning Herald to my reading list; gives balance to both US and European reporting. Plus it covers the Pacific, potential hot spot others neglect.
Unpopular view, I know: I kept my NYT subscription bc:
1. Owner isn't angling for gov't contracts, like Bezos
2. More international bureaus than other papers
3. Money to pay investigative reporters for months before something makes it to print. That's how we got Pulitzer series- Trump's Taxes.
So while its domestic political coverage and opinion pages are between meh & terrible, plenty of good journalism still gets done, and Trump doesn't have contracts to dangle over owner's head.
Plenty of your fav Post writers are there now too.
Crooked Media Pod casts and newsletter (What a Day) for national & international (well informed) perspectives.
A bit more casual than traditional news sources, but some of us require a little humor to weaken the existential dread.
Pod Save the World cast is especially good and serious.
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And for local LA news, I’m reading LA Public Press & LA Taco.
Recommend all ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
@theguardian.com @us.theguardian.com @lapublicpress.bsky.social @lataco.bsky.social
it's worth subscribing to
Also, GuardianUK ...
Wired is a must, ProPublica, Philly Inquirer, MS Free Press, Guardian. If you read Spanish, El Pais or La Vanguardia. There are also some independent historians/journalists like Anne Applebaum, Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Heather Cox Richardson.
Newsletters by email and publicly supported
Streaming on YouTube
Quality journalism paid for by
We the People
They have a wide range of programming and streaming
DISPATCHES FROM A COLLAPSING STATE.
https://jaredyatessexton.substack.com/
@highcountrynews.bsky.social
I follow @thetnholler.bsky.social too. Good stuff there.
The Atlantic; their articles have been fantastic.
For “alternative“ media, The Bulwark.
Wired
Teen Vogue
Boston Globe
The Guardian
I also swapped in Philly Inq, already take a few lower-profile locals, Guardian, Semafor, and may pick up the FT - full of depth reporting/analysis on both sides of the pond.
Is getting a lot praise on fediverse platforms. Haven't done my diligence though.
1. The Guardian. They're doing a SOLID job.
2. ProPublica. Also absolutely solid.
If you want a local paper, I hear good things about the Philly Inquirer and also the Mississippi Free Press.
https://go.bsky.app/4vBEs7Z
@tpm.bsky.social
Good luck!
ProPublica
AP
Wired
Rolling Stone
the Atlantic
Reuters
Excellent cultural and political analysis is on offer, too.
I subscribed to local newletters...Axios, AZ Central, Arizona Agenda and Arizona Capitol Times...you may have comparables in your market.
The Economist
Teen Vogue
…
https://www.cleveland.com/news/2025/03/were-more-than-doubling-our-daily-comics-to-nearly-100-and-adding-puzzles-and-advice-columns-too.html
I canceled the NYT and the Washington post.
The Verge has also had some good pieces
@wired.com
@propublica.org
They’ve all been doing good and important work.
Same ol colonial racist rhetoric
Plus, the non-news side (cooking, games, etc.) would be adequate to justify a subscription. Haven't pulled the trigger on it though.
New Republic
19th
Dame
Wired
For national stories
Locals depend a lot on your region But there are establish city papers like the Philidelphia Inquirer and the Miami Herald, and an increasing number of true locals like Mississippi Free Press, Tennessee Hollar, Texas Tribune etc
&substacks from
@hcrichardson.bsky.social
@rbhubbell.bsky.social
&, For a quick rundown akin to The 7, try substack from @aaronparnas.bsky.social
Or to follow was happening w the law try
@joycewhitevance.bsky.social
Or there is also
@contrariannews.org
1. Owner isn't angling for gov't contracts, like Bezos
2. More international bureaus than other papers
3. Money to pay investigative reporters for months before something makes it to print. That's how we got Pulitzer series- Trump's Taxes.
Plenty of your fav Post writers are there now too.
A bit more casual than traditional news sources, but some of us require a little humor to weaken the existential dread.
Pod Save the World cast is especially good and serious.