Where do you get your news? Some sources are too concerned about political correctness to give the news the treatment it deserves. The following are some news websites that (thankfully) don’t hold back.
Reddit is a far cry from the most reliable, serious news site on the Internet. It’s more like a freedom of expression forum, where users post videos, memes, stories, and links, contributing to a constant feed of information that tends toward the hilarious.
The website calls itself “the front page of the Internet,” but some might view it more as the funniest page of the Internet. Still, it’s a good way to keep yourself updated on the latest trends on the web and get some fresh perspective on the stories that news channels won’t shut up about.
Because Reddit covers such a broad spectrum of topics, it’s a good place for bloggers and others who are serious about social media to gather inspiration for new, shareable content.
VICE
The VICE news site is part of a media empire. It focuses on long-form video, delving deeply into current events and not holding anything back. Sometimes the perspective it presents is harsh, but it’s the perspective that appeals to its audience. One article gives the highlights from an interview with Shane Smith, one of the co-founders of VICE. He says, “Young people, who are the majority of our audience, are angry, disenfranchised, and they don’t like or trust mainstream media outlets. They’re leaving TV in droves…”
Smith also points out that “Young people have been marketed to since they were babies, they develop this incredibly sophisticated bullshit detector, and the only way to circumvent the bullshit detector is to not bullshit.” The point? You’re not likely to find bullshit on VICE News.
Gawker
Tabloid news, anyone? Gawker is an aptly named website that, well, will make you gawk. Some of the stories are so absurd that you can’t resist the urge to share links to them on Facebook, Twitter, and every other social media account you have. Look at this sampling of recent headlines from Gawker:
- “Canadian Dentist Plans to Raise Cloned John Lennon as His Son.”
- “Topless Florida Woman Wrecks McDonald’s, Pauses to Guzzle Ice Cream.”
- “Taylor Swift’s Parents are Assholes.”
Is your mouth hanging open yet? If you’re in the mood for amazement, shock, or some major Internet time-wasting, Gawker is your go-to site for the latest and (maybe not so) greatest.
Vocative
Like VICE, Vocative caters to young people, mostly in their 20s and 30s, which explains the in-your-face nature of some of its headlines. Unlike VICE, though, Vocative is all about the data. Mashable created a piece on this emerging news organization and brought out some of the details on its data-centered approach to current events.
Mati Kochavi, who founded the company, wants to use data as a way to spot trends and predict news before it happens. While that vision may never come to fulfillment, Vocative still uses data as the foundation for news stories. One example used in the Mashable article relates how the Vocative team thought about doing a piece on Mount Everest’s summer climbing season. However, the data uncovered in its research led to a story about a poor village in Nepal, many of the residents of which had sold their kidneys “on the cheap.”
Vocative is a fun site to explore, so you may not want to pay it a visit unless you have some major time to kill.
Cracked
Like numbers? One glance at Cracked and you’ll see a feast set out before you, filled with dozens of entertaining list articles. The focus of the site isn’t so much on news as it is on amusement. The topics are zany and appeal to young people who are looking on a fresh perspective on everything from popular movies to near-death experiences.
Cracked has a longer history than other sites on this list; it started as a magazine that went to print in the late 1950s. Althoughthe print magazine went the way of the dodo bird, the website is still going strong. It has more than two million Facebook fans, with more than five million people visiting the site every month.
Buzzfeed
Seriously, who hasn’t heard of Buzzfeed? The site is chock full of information about things you never noticed (and some things you never wanted to). The social-centric nature of the site means plenty of content to rouse your interest and make you hit that share button.
While much of the Buzzfeed content is amusing — eye-roll-worthy slideshows and lists — it isn’t all fluff. Some of the topics relate to serious news, and the approach is a spunky one that you won’t find coming from traditional news outlets. Also, if you like to have other people tell you all about yourself, the personality quizzes on Buzzfeed are going to get you started on a new obsession.
Sprword
Sprword’s about page says that it, “Started [the site] to counter the continuing consolidation of mainstream media and its limited and agenda-based reporting.” Sprword is serious, so you won’t find material there like you would on Cracked or Buzzfeed. It wants to present the news as it is, not as corporate bigwigs and politicians want you to see it.
Some of the stories on its homepage are from mainstream news sources, but alongside those stories are also bits from non-mainstream sources. This helps readers take in news in a balanced way from multiple sources, giving a more rounded perspective on what is really happening in the world. The Real News section of their site is particularly hard-hitting, presenting stories that might seem a little harsh or bizarre for mainstream outlets to feature.
The biggest names in news don’t always give the best, most comprehensive coverage, and people are always craving a fresh perspective. That’s why everyone can send their thanks to the above news sites that choose not to hold back.
(3 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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Familiar with buzzfeed and reddit. Buzzfeed always breaks the ice when you bored reading redundant articles.
Gawker is like the tabloid newspapers for the internet. They have the best, well-written and eye-catching headlines!
The writers at Gawker are awful.