Tuesday 12 April 2011

Good News Bible

Despite nearly provoking high blood pressure from all the pinches of salt I've taken reading mainstream press stories, I take daily pleasure from my decision to subscribe to The Economist, a weekly news magazine that does actually seem to employ real journalists who represent a point of view. Having just read three mainstream articles on France's burka ban, which came into effect this morning, the version on The Economist's front page online provided more background and reasoned comment than all the others put together. In any case, the others were so similar to one another it's probably not too far-fetched to imply they were all culled from the same source, Reuters, PA, AP or APF. Even maybe Knight Ritter, if you're feeling generous. Flat Earth News can do wonders for your cynicism.

I'd like to pitch The Economist to you as a sort of Good News Bible. It's probably not the universal best in the world, but its reporting is excellent, in-depth and takes no prisoners. I'm not remotely business-orientated, I have CSE Maths (Grade 1, but hey, it's CSE), 'A' level Economics (Grade C) and no science qualifications whatsoever, but it still manages to grab me where it should. If a publication with that title can seduce a musician to subscribe, imagine what it could do for those with a more earthbound bent. Try it out. And, no; they're not paying me. Flat Earth News has, to date, not mentioned it (a compliment in itself), but I'm only half way through.

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