News
7 Ways You Can Catch Up On The News When You're Pressed For Time
The days of receiving the morning or evening paper on your doorstep may be long gone, but you still need to be informed to be a successful and responsible citizen of the world. Not only is everything digital, but very few young people have the time needed to make it to the end of front-page articles — let alone into the depths of the opinion or business section. With that in mind, here are seven ways to get your news when you're pressed for time.
One thing to consider as you make a plan to stay informed is that millennials are actually pretty good about this already; the typical millennial news and information consumer is overrepresented on the internet. Young people are reading more news on websites than the average American, Politico reported in 2016. Many of the typical millennial sites you'd expect are well-represented, as are some big mainstream media brands such as CNN and The New York Times.
Plus, since President Donald Trump was elected, MediaPost reports that young people started paying for even more news, including long-form magazines at rates never before imagined. So if your boss or relatives are giving you a hard time about your age bracket, present them with some cold, hard facts.
That said, everyone is busy. So you should strategize to get the most bang not just for your buck, but for your time too.
Just Ask Alexa
You can set up your Amazon Alexa to play the national headlines for you, and maybe even your local news if media near you has it set up.
With A Flick Of The Wrist
There are news apps on the Apple Watch, so you can check headlines or even watch live video from networks such as ABC News from anywhere.
Check In On The Hour, Every Hour
NPR summarizes the top news every hour on the hour. Listen when you have time and you'll be updated with everything happening that day — all in just five minutes.
Get A Quick News Blast
Emails with all the top headlines will show up in your inbox if you sign up for the newsletter blast of your favorite paper. Many offer this service with links to stories and some brief excerpts. Some publications, including The Wall Street Journal and Axios, give you the option of multiple different email newsletters.
Listen To Your Favorite Magazine
You might not have time to sit down with a copy, but if it's read to you while you're at the gym or the grocery store? That sounds much more doable. The Economist puts their entire issue on tape for you to download.
Focus On What Matters Most
Let professional news editors decide what you need to know. Lots of media outlets, such as The New York Times, do a morning briefing with summaries of key stories to start your day. Check it out over coffee or on the train. The Guardian does a morning briefing too, if you're looking for more international coverage. And CNN has "Five Things To Know" that is updated every day to keep you on track with an emphasis on video.
Leave It To An Algorithm
There are several apps like Google News where an algorithm decides what you might want to read. Let it do all the heavy lifting. Or try an aggregator that includes all the top stories from your preferred outlets, such as the app Breaking News or Apple News, which uses human editors.
Start off with these options and see if they keep you informed — and relatively stress free. You might even be able to combine a few, all while keeping your time open for happier activities.
