Top 5 Sources of News and Information

Today, information is spread rapidly through television, the internet and social media. With so many sources to choose from, it is important that we consume media from diverse and reliable sources. Many modern news sources tend to fall along the spectrum from Left to Right with some being more biased than others. My 5 top sources of news and information include: Foreign Affairs, The Washington Post, NPR, Associated Press and Social Media.

Foreign Affairs 

As an International Relations major, I regularly tune into sources of international topics.  Foreign Affairs is an American magazine published by the Council on Foreign Relations, a nonprofit, nonpartisan, membership organization and think tank specializing in U.S. foreign policy and international affairs. Personally I like the style and organization of the website. It is easy to navigate, attracts your attention and displays intriguing titles to keep readers interested. This news site keeps you updated on current foreign news while also offering think pieces. 

The Washington Post

As someone from the Washington area, I have referenced this paper many times. While their editorial pages do contain some level of bias, their news is relatively neutral and unbiased. Like professor Smith mentioned, the Washington Post acts as a voice of the current government. 

NPR 

NPR is reliable and entertaining. I personally enjoy having something to listen to and NPR has very talented and informed journalists. I have used this platform for entertainment and academics. NPR provides articles and podcast episodes from a vast range of topics including politics, culture and music. 

Associated Press 

The standard for neutrality, a fact checked and relatively unbiased news source. This free news source is easy to navigate with fact-based journalism and straight-forward, easy to understand language. As seen in the graphic above, the Associated Press is a high quality source for neutral news and provides articles from a vast range of topics.

Social Media (X, Instagram, TikTok) 

How reliable is the news on social media?

Instagram, TikTok and Twitter(X) are among the top 5 most used social media platforms. 

Instagram: 1.4 Billion users

TikTok: 1 Billion users

Twitter: 397 Million

These are very important sources considering it is easily accessible, provides real-time updates and is used by so many people. Social media is great for staying updated on current events and culturally nuanced content but may also expose consumers to misinformation. It is imperative that while we take advantage of the plethora of information provided by social media, we are cautious and selective with the information we spread and absorb. Beware of fake news!