Media Sources

Most of our knowledge about global events comes from the mass media.  However, as most journalists will acknowledge, it is impossible for anyone from a specific culture to present all (or even most) points of view concerning a given story or issue.  One of the great advantages of the Internet is that it makes available to users media accounts from all over the world.  Below are a few sources representing various points on the political spectrum.  You can find an extensive list of media resources at the Foreign Policy site.   In addition, there is a growing list of radio and television sites on the Web.  You'll need Real Audio or another player to use them, but most can be downloaded for free.  Check, for example, at RealNetworks.

AfricaNews Online
www.africanews.org/

Good source of information on Africa with reports from Africa's newspapers, magazines and news agencies, plus unedited statements and reports from governments, non-governmental organizations and other news makers.

BBC News Online [RealPlayer]
news.bbc.co.uk/

Get the news from a European perspective.

CBC Newsworld
www.newsworld.cbc.ca/

A Canadian perspective on global and national events.

Christian Science Monitor
www.csmonitor.com/

An excellent source of national and international news. 

CNN Custom News

customnews.cnn.com/

Create your own personal newspaper at CNN.  Just supply the topics, issues, or countries, or global area that you want to know about, and each day CNN filters the news to bring you what you want.

Conservative News Service--MRC
www.conservativenews.org/

If you want to check out a conservative slant on the news, this is one place to do it.

The Consortium
http://www.consortiumnews.com

A good source for news that you won't see in the mainstream media.   Illustrates one of the liberating influences of the Web, and the availability of alternative news sources and interpretations.

Earth Times
http://www.earthtimes.org/

"The Earth Times is the leading independent international nonpartisan newspaper on the environment and sustainable development, and such interrelated concerns of the international system as population, conflict-resolution, governance, human-rights, trade, and women's and children's rights. Published by the not-for-profit Earth Times Foundation, the newspaper specifically explores the subject of change--how individuals and institutions work in their own societies to tackle their challenges and generate positive change in social and economic conditions."

Economic and Political Weekly
http://www.epw.org.in/

Based in India, the pages of the EPW feature some of the most relevant debates, particularly in development economics, sociology and socio-political issues.  It contains * research articles in economics, sociology, political science and other emerging disciplines scholarly commentary on topical developments, in-depth reports on people’s struggles, regular columns by eminent social scientists, book reviews, weekly statistical updates, analytical review of company performances, monthly review of the money market

Electronic Telegraph (free, but registration required)
www.telegraph.co.uk/

A good source of news from Europe.

Foreign Commentary on US--USIA
http://www.usia.gov/products/medreac.htm

A service provided by the U.S. Information Agency, you can find commentaries on major international events from news sources all over the world.

Green Left Weekly
http://www.greenleft.org.au/

This weekly describes itself as follows: "In these days of growing media concentration, Green Left Weekly is a proudly independent voice committed to human and civil rights, global peace and environmental sustainability, democracy and equality. By printing the news and ideas the mainstream media won't, Green Left Weekly exposes the lies and distortions of the power brokers and helps us to better understand the world around us."  The Australian-based publication is one of the best of the alternative news sources.

Institute for Global Communications
http://www.igc.org/igc/

An excellent source of progessive news that is often not covered by the mainstream press.   "The Institute for Global Communications (IGC) is a nonprofit organization that provides alternative sources of information as well as online access and comprehensive Internet services for progressive individuals and organizations."  

Institute for Public Accuracy
http://www.accuracy.org/

The IPA represents more of a check on the influences of think tanks more than it represents the media.  However since most of the public policy perscriptions of think tanks are disseminated through the media (often as fact), the attempt by IPA to "broaden public discourse in mainstream media, while building communication with alternative media outlets and grassroots activists" is much needed.  Check their news releases.

International Herald Tribune
www.iht.com/

Good source for mainstream, international news.

New York Times (Requires registration)
http://www.nytimes.com

One of the best of the mainstream newspapers, but you still need to balance what appears in the Times with material from other mainstream sources.  As good as some of the reporting is, the paper is still heavily tilted toward business news.

People's Tribune
http://www.lrna.org/2-pt/pt.html

Sponsored by the League of Revolutionaries for a New America, People's Tribune, offers a communists view of globalization and its affects on people, particularly workers.

Progressive Review
http://emporium.turnpike.net/P/ProRev/

A good place to find alternative news information.  Largely concerned with American politics, it provides lots of information on the workings of the nation-state.   Check out the "American Indicators" page, particularly ecology.  How many Asians die each year from air pollution?  How many die of bad water and santitation?  What percentage of the children in Shanghai have led levels considered dangerous to mental development?

Project Censored
http://www.projectcensored.org/

The world as we know it through the mass media is filtered through the social and cultural biases of those who report it and who choose what to show and print and what not to.  Often there are events that, for various reasons, are not reported or are underreported whose importance is far greater than their media exposure.  Project Censored offers one solution by each year choosing important stories that, for whatever reason, are not adequately covered.

Public Citizen
http://www.citizen.org/

"Public Citizen is the Internet brainchild of the consumer advocacy group bearing the same name, itself founded by consumer advocate Ralph Nader. Information on auto safety, campaign finance, the Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI), and NAFTA, among other topics, is available from an alphabetical pull-down list. Current news and recent reports by Public Citizen authors enumerate and comment on current consumer issues and trends." (Scout Report for Business and Economics, 10/22/98)

 

South China Morning Post

www.scmp.com/

How do global events look from the other side of the world?  You can check here at the South China Morning Post.  Compare for yourself the headlines here with those in the Western media.

Townhall.com: Conservative News and Information
http://www.townhall.com/

A politically conservative source of news and information, Townhall defines itself as "the first truly interactive community on the Internet to bring Internet users and public policy organizations together under the broad umbrella of 'conservative' thoughts, ideas and actions."  There are lots of links to other conservative organizations.

Truth in Media
http://www.truthinmedia.org/indexr.html

UN News Service
http://www.un.org/News/index.html

A good source for international news an events and for what is happening at the United Nations.  There is a good summary of daily global events at the Newservice page.