| Why do you read a newspaper or a magazine? ?

Why do you read a newspaper or a magazine? ?

cloudofsmoke asked:


I’m a high school student, and I used to be very interested in what was happening in the world, current events and all that. I read Time and Newsweek, which parents subscribed to. I read the NY Times online. Then, I heard or read someone say that it’s pretty pointless, because what? you read about all the terrible things happening in the world, but what can you, the average person, do about any of that stuff? basically, you read it and think, wow, good thing i’m not in that situation and then get on with your life. but now, i’m starting to revise that opinion. i just wanted to know what you all think.

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Comments

3 Responses to “Why do you read a newspaper or a magazine? ?”

  1. froggyj5 on March 22nd, 2009 12:40 pm

    I’ve never really thought about this. I guess the question goes for any newshound. I read Time every week and pay pretty close attention. After consideration, it’s pretty pointless. The ultimate answer is that I enjoy being informed. I guess that means it’s just a form of entertainment.

  2. desertviking_00 on March 23rd, 2009 6:20 pm

    I read the web editions of twelve different English language daily newspapers from all over the world. It supplements my old habit of getting most of my news and information from English language short wave radio broadcasts. A practice I’ve followed since 1949. These days I listen to most of my favorite short wave stations through the web streaming feature on my computer. I’m listening to Radio Australia as I type this answer.
    This broad range of news and information gets me away from one viewpoint. That is the case with the newspaper you mentioned and one of the magazines as well (Newsweek). They are part of what has been called the “mainstream media”. I’ve found out over the years that the “mainstream” is only forty miles deep running inland from the Atlantic Ocean and from Boston to Washington, D.C.

  3. Stephy C on March 25th, 2009 2:00 am

    The point of keeping up with the news is to stay in touch both locally, nationally and worldly. Yes, many terrible things happen day to day but the point of reading about these things is not to feel better better about yourself but simply to be informed. Perhaps you’ll want to help or maybe you’ll want to report. If no one wrote about the things happening than no one would be able to do anything about them. If the news didn’t exist and hurricane katrina happened, how would anyone be able to provide aid? If the news didn’t exist, how would anyone find anything out about the presidential candidates and inform themselves on their policies/beliefs?

    You can’t think of the news as just depressing. Yes it is but in a twisted way it is also a good thing.