Author Topic: so, where do you get your news now? (Read 139 times)

JCA-CrystalCity · « **on:** February 04, 2026, 11:04:49 am »

I'm curious where folks get their news, sports as well as general, now that the Post is shell of what it is.

I don't have many subscriptions. I have a strong interest in environmental reporting, so I have about 5 sites I check daily, including the Hill, AP, Inside Climate News (https://insideclimatenews.org/), which are all no paywall, as well as Politico's environmental publications (Greenwire, E&E Daily) that have a few free articles. Bloomberg is behind a paywall but very good.

For Nats news, I don't know. Certainly Talk Nats breaks some stuff, and there's several other go tos for analysis, but I don't see an easy WaPo replacement for basic day to day coverage. Maybe WTOP's website? Local TV doesn't do a great job on the Nats.

As for general news, I'm thinking NYT, but I'm also thinking Guardian and Texas Tribune (really nice investigative stuff), perhaps ProPublica.

Natsinpwc · « **Reply #1 on:** February 04, 2026, 11:09:26 am »

I use my Apple News feed. And read what I want there. Sometimes go to BBC News on line. Watch NHK Workd News sometimes for international news.

For sports usually still scan espn even though they are crap.

1995hoo · « **Reply #2 on:** February 04, 2026, 11:11:21 am »

I grew up reading the Post. My parents had it delivered every day (my mother still does). I now have it delivered on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays only. I haven't decided whether to maintain the subscription in light of today's developments because I haven't talked to my wife about it yet, but I have no idea what we'll do if we drop it. For sports, I subscribe to the Athletic, so I'll keep that but it's not a good replacement for what the Post was because they don't have beat reporters for the Caps, Nats, and UVA. I also don't see a particularly good substitute for local news (what the Post's Metro section used to be).

The Washington Times does not merit serious consideration unless they seize the opportunity to hire a lot of the people the Post is letting go. I have no idea what their financial situation is other than that traditionally the Moonies were their main source of financial support, but if they can afford to expand, this seems like a golden opportunity to fill a void.

Ali the Baseball Cat · « **Reply #3 on:** February 04, 2026, 11:12:44 am »

Word of mouth through social media. That's the only way you find out about what's REALLY going on with skim milk & 5G causing The Gaye and autism

imref · « **Reply #4 on:** February 04, 2026, 11:55:45 am »

News: major media outlets like ABC & NBC are still good. We have a WSJ subscription at work that I use. Axios mostly for political stuff (and Jake Sherman)
Sports news: Pretty much stuck with ESPN for now along with MLBTR for baseball-specific stuff

I'll probably sign up for a NYT subscription now.

wj73 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 04, 2026, 12:08:36 pm »

For Marylanders, the Baltimore Banner is evolving into a decent local online news source for Maryland news. They also recently started a Montgomery County edition for even more local coverage. IIRC, the Banner got started when the Baltimore Sun laid off a bunch of reporters, and they got together to write for the Banner. I would not be surprised if they made a move to pick up WaPo folks and expand their DC area coverage.

For Maryland political and governmental news, Maryland Matters is excellent. They have free subscriptions and a free newsletter.

imref · « **Reply #6 on:** February 04, 2026, 12:56:14 pm »

Capital Weather Gang appears to have survived the cuts.

i've seen a lot people saying that this is a good source of local news: https://51st.news

1995hoo · « **Reply #7 on:** February 04, 2026, 01:37:54 pm »

My wife pointed out that the ripple effect of the Post's decision goes well beyond the newsroom. Consider, for example, the people who deliver the paper. If more people start cancelling their subscriptions (which seems inevitable), many of the carriers lose that source of income. I guess it's sort of like how the NHL lockouts over the years did a number on all the restaurants in the Verizon Center area, as well as the arena staff (ushers, ticket-takers, concession workers, etc.) who lost 41 nights' income.

Slateman · « **Reply #8 on:** February 04, 2026, 01:38:16 pm »

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #9 on:** February 04, 2026, 02:25:38 pm »

Problem with MLBTR for the Nats is they relied on Nusbaum and Golden for a lot of the basic stuff about the Nats. Losing those two and Zuckerman in the past week or so blows up those source. I know TalkNats has some sources but it feels a little spoon-fed sometimes.

blue911 · « **Reply #10 on:** February 04, 2026, 02:27:33 pm »

https://weeklyworldnews.com/

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #11 on:** February 04, 2026, 02:34:21 pm »

Quote from: blue911 on February 04, 2026, 02:27:33 pm

https://weeklyworldnews.com/

The Men in Black used the National Enquirer.

nfotiu · « **Reply #12 on:** February 04, 2026, 02:48:47 pm »

Quote from: 1995hoo on February 04, 2026, 01:37:54 pm

My wife pointed out that the ripple effect of the Post's decision goes well beyond the newsroom. Consider, for example, the people who deliver the paper. If more people start cancelling their subscriptions (which seems inevitable), many of the carriers lose that source of income. I guess it's sort of like how the NHL lockouts over the years did a number on all the restaurants in the Verizon Center area, as well as the arena staff (ushers, ticket-takers, concession workers, etc.) who lost 41 nights' income.

Hasn't that ship already sailed? Their print circulation was close to a million in the 90s and is now under 100,000 and losing 10-15% per year, which I guess would increase to 20-30%. I think most printed newspapers have started their death spiral anyway.

1995hoo · « **Reply #13 on:** February 04, 2026, 04:49:12 pm »

Even if it’s in the 100,000 range, that still requires a lot of carriers to drive around delivering papers, I assume as a second source of income.

imref · « **Reply #14 on:** February 04, 2026, 05:33:25 pm »

Quote from: 1995hoo on February 04, 2026, 04:49:12 pm

Even if it’s in the 100,000 range, that still requires a lot of carriers to drive around delivering papers, I assume as a second source of income.

plus you have to collect your $2.00, cash.

Ali the Baseball Cat · « **Reply #15 on:** February 04, 2026, 06:46:44 pm »

What do I feed the cats on when there are no more dead tree newspapers?

HalfSmokes · « **Reply #16 on:** February 04, 2026, 07:38:40 pm »

NYT, ffxnow, Alxnow, wtop, Reddit

dracnal · « **Reply #17 on:** February 05, 2026, 01:04:31 pm »

Quote from: imref on February 04, 2026, 05:33:25 pm

plus you have to collect your $2.00, cash.

welch · « **Reply #18 on:** February 07, 2026, 12:58:04 pm »

I read the NY Times, plus the UK Guardian and the Toronto Globe & Mail. I don't know where I will get my Nats news. Maybe MLB.com. Caps news from RMNB? Or The Athletic. which I get for free because I subscribe to the Times.

The Times has gotten better over the last five years, as the Post disintegrated.

Ali the Baseball Cat · « **Reply #19 on:** February 10, 2026, 08:56:16 pm »

20-25 years ago the Times was in free fall (hello Jayson Blair) while the WaPost was winning Pulitzers at will. Now the Post is a festering corpse while the NYT is the last man standing. It's the only US paper I still get. Definitely not on my bingo card back in the day.

Quote from: welch on February 07, 2026, 12:58:04 pm

The Times has gotten better over the last five years, as the Post disintegrated.