You shouldn't be getting any news from social media. Go directly to news sites or subscribe to their RSS feeds. I use Axios for national/world news. Idk if they're run by fascists or not, but they do a good job reporting the basic facts and clearly labeling opinions.
And to buscemibabe's point, follow your local news operations. Axios has also been investing in this area by hiring local journalists to write daily newsletters for major cities. Check out Axios Local on their site. I've been impressed by their reporting for Nashville.
Related Recs
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independent journalists are great, usually via substack or bluesky - a few i follow include: Talia Jane, Dr. Lucky Tran, Ken Klippenstein, Marisa Kabas, Spencer Ackerman, Kat Tenbarge, Kim Kelly, Law Dork. just be sure to read more than one source (though that is standard advice for reading any news lol).
i also admittedly (as a leftist!) mostly read/listen to things that i think are perceived as left-friendly - Democracy Now, Al Jazeera, and Hellgate for news; outlets like In These Times, The Flytrap, ProPublica, Intercept, Verge, Rolling Stones and Teen Vogue etc. for analyses and exclusives
mainstream outlets like the AP can be O.K., i read them usually for developing/live situations as they tend to be kept really up to date more than smaller outlets, but i also take MSM with a grain of salt because they recently all had terrible language and bias against Palestinians the last two years (article) and trans people too
& always avoid the new york times as much as possible! archive.ph is your friend
Feb 19, 2025
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DW and Al Jazeera are tremendous networks, particularly if you keep in mind the few biases they do have; DW won't criticize Israel, and Al Jaz won't criticize Dubai and Qatar. But outside of that, they have tremendous programs and report on news that US channels won't touch.
Text based news are so important too, Reuters and the absolute GOAT, AP News. For those who don't know, AP is generally the first, at least major outlet, to report on any significant news stories. Literally every other outlet depends on AP as a central source of the bulk of their major news.
I'm one of those people that's been obsessively checking my various news sources throughout the day, for years. It's a very easy habit to begin and to maintain, and it has a tremendous impact on your understanding of the world we live in. Always use a skeptical, discerning perspective, but this is like the filter for the coffee grounds or tea leaves of information.
The End
Jul 29, 2024
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Not exactly under the radar, but the writing and reporting are top notch
I’ve gotten into 404 Media lately, too
Dec 31, 2024
Top Recs from @lucius
Alright y'all, standards have gotten a little lax around here and rec quality has taken a dip (I'm including myself in this). Here are some pointers for High Rec Standards.
ANATOMY OF A REC:
TITLE—This is the rec or recommendations. This is NOT a lead in. Type exactly what you're recommending here. What appears in the Title should finish this sentence, "I recommend _____."
BODY—This supports the rec and anything goes. Supporting statements, supporting essays, additional recs, you can get silly, you can pontificate. You can do anything you want. Except putting the main rec down here. Where does it go? That's right. In the Title 👆
IMAGE—No rules. Add one to preference. It can be relevant or a non sequitur.
LINK—I highly recommend links but it's not as important as the Title or Body. If you are recommending something that has an online presence (music, movies, websites, products, etc.), Piffies want to click on it immediately. Don't make us google. Be kind a leave a link.
EMOJI—No rules. Express yourself.
ANTI-RECS:
They exist and they are valid recs. "Anti-Rec: _____" clearly communicates this is something best avoided. But a better way format this type of Rec is to use a modifier or verb that flows with "I recommend _____." Ex. I recommend... Not Eating Tacks, Avoiding Area X, Leaving Off the Anchovies, etc.—(Formatting Anti-Recs this way first recommended by tyler the Creator)
ANATOMY OF AN ASK:
TITLE—This is the question or topic of the Ask. Asks can solicit advice or start a discussion. You have some flexibility here because the Ask is expected to be expounded upon in the body if it needs more context. Just be clear. Again, this is not a lead in. Be direct and ask the question or state the topic.
BODY—Provide more context. Narrow the recommendation field. Add relevant links. Remember, the Ask goes in the Title 👆
EMOJI—No rules. Express yourself.
ANSWERING AN ASK—Recs on Asks can break style as dictated by the Ask. If the Ask is looking for Recs, give Recs following style. If it's asking for opinions, give your opinion. Asking for links? Give links! Respond however you would respond some someone IRL. Asks start a conversation so you can be more conversational. But keep in mind that these Recs will appear in the main feed. So where you can maintain Rec style, do so.
Example: WHAT’S YOUR CURRENT LETTERBOXD TOP 4?
A response to this with High Rec Standards would look something like this:
TITLE—Lists your current Letterboxd top 4. You are recommending these four movies.
BODY—Free reign here. Drop your Letterboxd @. Talk about the movies. Make a quip. Emoji. Relevant links. Nothing.
IMAGE—Optional. Screenshot of your top four. Frame from a movie. Dealer's choice.
LINK—Add your Letterboxd profile only if you want to be found.
EMOJI—Whatever. But it'd be nice if it was relevant.
DISCLAIMER:
This is a living community document! These are only my recommendations for a foundation. Debate and Discussion of proper style are Encouraged. Any editions and changes to the PI.FYI STYLE GUIDE will be notated with attribution.
Changelog:
07.26.2024—Clarified a Rec is not limited to one recommendation. Recs can recommend multiple things. Thanks to shegoestoanotherschool for identifying the issue. / Added guidance for Anti-Rec format.
02.11.2025—Moved SpongeBob Bubble Blowing Technique video link from the top level into the body ("some pointers") so the embed wouldn't override the High Quality instructional graphic.
Jul 25, 2024
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This combo has just been here the whole time?!
Feb 6, 2025
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i will eat one every day i do not give a fuck anymore
Jan 30, 2024