The Wall Street Journal ... for balance

Posted by: Nancy Stevenson | May 28, 2007 4:14 PM

The range of sources is generally good but would benefit from something French/German for a European overview and it might be helpful to look at The Economist. I am writing as an English person in the UK. Of course, the material is strongly US focused but with good coverage of the Middle East and Darfur. Not much from the Far East or Asia - could more be included?

Posted by: Mrs Renny Gye | May 28, 2007 4:25 PM

Well done on going for such a broad range. Several of us from Ireland keep up with your website; you might find the Irish Times a good resource from time to time. Good journalism, and a perspective from a smaller, and neutral, European country that thinks European, but because of geography and history remains very interested in the US.

Posted by: Mary | May 28, 2007 4:39 PM

Having been to OPT four times since June 2005, and having written two books on that topic trying to raise awareness of the Christian EXODUS from the Holy Land, I submit my site for your consideration. I also wonder if anyone out there is interested in learning about what the USA MSM has NOT covered: Mordechai Vanunu's FREEDOM OF SPEECH TRIAL:
This civilian journalist has been following the trial since it began January 2006. http://www.wearewideawake.org/
Eileen Fleming, Poet, Author, Activist, Reporter and Editor WAWA, Producer "30 Minutes With Vanunu" FREELY STREAMING on http://www.wearewideawake.org And UNCENSORED by Israel.

Posted by: eileen fleming | May 28, 2007 4:43 PM

Just keep on doing what you're doing -- it's wonderful!

Posted by: Cynthia Donnelly | May 28, 2007 4:49 PM

Honestly, I wish this would be a weekly as opposed to a daily feature. All of the information is worthwhile, please don't misunderstand. But I am bombarded with so much worthwhile information from so many different organizations it is truly overwhelming. I fear that we are spending so much time reading about problems in society that we don't have any time left to do anything about them.

Posted by: Carol | May 28, 2007 4:52 PM

Do you think all your resources are ignoring Abortion as the major dividing issue in this country. Get real and quit cherry picking.

Posted by: Dick Landis | May 28, 2007 4:56 PM

re; domestic issues: How about reviewing daily reports from the Center for American Progress and Tom Paine. com, as well? re: international issues: How about reviewing reporst from some of the continental European press, as well?

Posted by: peter g yackel | May 28, 2007 5:09 PM

The selection of sources seems good; but as much as I deeply respect the courage of some journalists, I witness ever growing cuts in the freedom of the press and the return of censorship into news media (not owned by journalists, but employing and paying them). As an example, how many people will consider the thought that there would never have been a nation like the USA if it were not for the independence wars - against the British colonial power -that those founding values are being questioned by nowadays politics, in the name of business; to forget values like those written in the US Constitution, the Bill of Rights - in the name of business: money is necessary but not above all moral values. I admire your courage and inspiration to many of us. Thank you.

Posted by: Alert Ear | May 28, 2007 5:11 PM

i scan the Digest daily, and usually find one or more good articles i would not see otherwise. Thanks and keep up the good work.

Posted by: Charlotte Ward | May 28, 2007 5:12 PM

Wish we had anything in the UK half as good as what you're doing. The Independent occasionally has good information too. But it says something that I have to come to you and Alternet to find out what is really going on! So keep up the good work -

Posted by: Tony Graham | May 28, 2007 5:19 PM

excellent sources

Posted by: eugene turner | May 28, 2007 5:21 PM

i also put up a clipping service and have used, in addition to the sources you describe, the independent from britain, the national catholic reporter, the daily feed from pew research, the feed from the international relations center (have had a great pieces recently on immigration issues and free trade agreements), and pieces produced by the washington office on latin america (wola). saludos! dennis smith

Posted by: Dennis Smith | May 28, 2007 5:29 PM

I really appresciate your journal - and think that you have a pretty good selection or resources. Maybe The Economist , The Scotsman, and Le Monde for the European perspective... Do keep up the good work. I'm British, living in Rrral Mississippi and your articles are a very important resource.

Posted by: Morag Burgess | May 28, 2007 5:31 PM

I agree that some central or even Southern US papers might be helpful, but I wonder how much you would find in them that wasn't wire or very local. I know my local paper (Courier-Journal, Louisville, KY) is Gannett-owned and largely reliant on wire services for anything other than local news. I also agree with the person who suggested Far East and/or African. I have to believe that there are some good English sources from the those regions. The seeming liberal bias doesn't bother me so much. I would rather have an openly liberal (or conservative) source than one that was claiming to be "balanced" but was actually biased or lazy. (By "lazy" I mean that they cover a controversial by get a quote from each side's nutcases--without bothering to do much research or develop any context for the reader to put the quotes in--and calling it "balanced.")

Posted by: Amy Pemberton | May 28, 2007 5:33 PM

Perhaps the National Catholic Reporter. with among others Father John Dear and Sister Joan Chitester, would be a good representation of the Catholic viewpoint which has so much in common with Sojourner's ideals and philosophies. It has been conspicuous by its absence. Keep up the wonderful work of "preaching to and educating choir" so we can expand our ranks.

Posted by: Dan Lill | May 28, 2007 5:47 PM

When the Washington Times referred to Charlton Heston as a civil rights advocate, I realized that it had a unique viewpoint. But all opinions should be considered. How about a source from "old Europe"?

Posted by: Martin Clancy | May 28, 2007 5:52 PM

I think the range is good, but I would like to see more OP-ED pieces gleaned from the sources. I find those the most interesting and am able to use them in the classroom in order to generate discussions of current topics.

Posted by: Elizabeth | May 28, 2007 6:13 PM

Thank you for what you are doing--you publish and make us aware of some important news that is frequently either left out of our local paper or buried in the back pages.

Posted by: Judith | May 28, 2007 6:15 PM

I love your sources, but also think something from the Midwest, as well as one of the Canadian papers would give useful points of vie.

Posted by: Diane Jones | May 28, 2007 6:41 PM

I read all of these, but I wonder if you shouldn't have another European source (Germany, France) and something from China. At least for reference. I don't know about some of the inner states newspapers, you probably do get some of that. I read them to see what opinions they have and usually don't agree..But I think it is good to know. McClatchy is a good idea. Thank you. sally montgomery

Posted by: sally montgomery | May 28, 2007 6:44 PM

The info is great, thanks. Keep up the fight.

Posted by: Tyler Riedesel | May 28, 2007 6:57 PM

It would be good to include Canadian content in your news coverage--try the Globe and Mail. A previous respondant suggests CBC, equally good. I am Canadian, by the way. Keep up the great work! Dr. Annette Ahern Antigonish, Nova Scotia

Posted by: HASH(0x1172cf7c) | May 28, 2007 7:04 PM

The International information is very useful. Also a Non-profit organization you mught be interested in is People not Profit. http://peoplenotprofit.org/ Thanks for the hard work.

Posted by: Tyler Riedesel | May 28, 2007 7:07 PM

As some have already stated, I would love to see middle America newspapers used for continued US coverage; The Denver Post, Kansas City Star, Dallas Morning News. I've worked with several homeless organizations and their fight against poverty and work with state legislators is constantly on the front pages of those papers listed above. I'd also like to have 2 or 3 more stories per day. Thanks for your work and the feedback opportunity.

Posted by: Toby Meuli | May 28, 2007 7:46 PM

You are doing well. Thanks for the service.

Posted by: Anthony Fadale | May 28, 2007 8:02 PM

Hi, I noticed that the Sojourners summary of news provides ABSOLUTELY no coverage of Canadian Politics and Affairs, despite the fact that Canada's biggest trading partner is the US and considering the fact that Canada and the US are so deeply connected that one couldn't exist without the other.
Also, in doing so, you'd help to break down the perception that Sojourners is an 'American-only' organization. So ya, include Canada's National Paper, "The Globe and Mail" for Canadian Coverage!

Posted by: Jordan WLester | May 28, 2007 8:22 PM

But ya, also being from the province of Newfoundland and Labrador within Canada, adding the newspapers of "The Independent" and "The Telegram" (the NL version NOT the British one) to your list would help as well (because so many Americans know so little about newfoundland!)
And ya, at one point, Newfoundland ALMOST ended up joining the US because of a Trade Agreement the then country/colony of Newfoundland signed with the US in the 40's!

Posted by: Jordan WLester | May 28, 2007 8:26 PM

Keep up the good work you are doing and excellent job keep everyone informed. Shay

Posted by: Shay | May 28, 2007 8:33 PM

I can only add NPR as another valuable source. Without NPR and your blog, I would be totally without a news source, as I refuse to pay any attention to our local newspaper or TV stations. Most of their output is so totally biased in favor of the religious and political right, that they are of no use in forming an educated opinion on anything, much less anything important.

Posted by: Susan | May 28, 2007 9:00 PM

I think your resources, news, and editorials are excellent! It seems almost impossible; how so many major topics are covered all the time. I would like to see more to balance the global warming issues with human equality and assistance. The main thing I haven t understood is why average to low income consumers aren t pursuing free, independent, fossil-free energy flowing around everybody s homes all the time. If politicians really want to reduce poverty and lower emissions, use of fossil fuels, and foreign oil then why aren t they pursuing retrofitting every home to be able to link self-sufficient energy generation? There doesn t seem to be a lot of better ways to permanently help the poor and jobless locally, and in every society globally, but to show them how to fish using household and discarded items to alleviate the growing cost and global problems. It seems like elitists, politicians, financial gurus, and even ministers think the overwhelming majority of medium to low income people are not smart enough or are too lazy to pick up these causes like they did during the wars of the last century. Even little pinwheel wind-catchers, solar collectors, and downspout turbines (all easily made of un-recycled materials) would make a huge difference in energy costs, national and global problems if only given the opportunity to utilize our creative ingenuity. If we can t do it for global betterment then we should do it for human equality; and vise versa. It just seems like nobody is covering this perspective that I have heard occasionally from candidates and self-sufficiency experts. http://www.unidiversal.com/ConsumerEnergy.html

Posted by: Robbie Ousley | May 28, 2007 9:21 PM

I read the Daily Digest because it is brief and has a mixture of inspiring(good) and motivating(bad) news. Keep up the good work.

Posted by: MARY RYAN-HOTCHKISS | May 28, 2007 10:16 PM

I appreciate your news. Do you get National Catholic Reporter? I also appreciate Democracy Now which comes on Channel 35 in Philadelphis on Tuesday and Thursday. Please continue your good work and thank you. Mary

Posted by: Mary Hamilton | May 28, 2007 10:21 PM

I am very happy with your whole approach. I particularly like Verse and Voice and share it with several friends.

Posted by: Richard Humphries | May 28, 2007 10:38 PM

Even though I tend to be Liberal in my perspectives, I think the Wall Street Journal might be a good addition!

Posted by: Charles Cathey | May 28, 2007 10:53 PM

Try Father Andrew Greeley's Friday column in the Chicago Sun-Times. He pulls no punches and you may find yourself agreeing with him more often than not. ML

Posted by: mary L Ewing | May 28, 2007 11:08 PM

You are a beacon. Looking forward to the 6/4 debate. Healthcare, or lack thereof, affects all but the wealthiest and our Congressmen and women who have voted themselves a fine package.

Posted by: Linda Demas | May 28, 2007 11:26 PM

I like the Daily Digest, but I don't know what spectrum is coverd by the newspapers mentioned. The media is corporate-owned and shows little appetite for seeking the truth from the government. They didn't roll over for the White House in the run-up to the Iraq War, they signed-on as full-fledged backers. If some editorial boards endorsed John Kerry, so what? He wanted to send MORE troops into Iraq.

Posted by: Pete Barrett | May 29, 2007 12:43 AM

I am fairly new to Sojo mail, but have been very pleased so far with everything I've read. I have now suggestions - just keep up the good work. Carole

Posted by: HASH(0x11751ebc) | May 29, 2007 1:29 AM

I couldn't be happier with your sources! I suppose if I thought about it, I'd love to see some results from Canadian sources as well.

Posted by: David | May 29, 2007 2:45 AM

The Wall Street Journal, U.S News & World Report as well as Fox News should be added. Most solders back from the actions state that Fox News gives a more accurate reporting of the events in Iraq and the Middle East than CNN and especially teh news braches of the major Networks.
The selection of newspapers you list are mainly isolated along the coasts and largely redundant. Some much more extreme left than others.
Such a selection of news sources presupposes a very liberal (leftist leanings) which will further act to isolate the effort. It also presupposes that only leftists and liberals can be Christians. A fact I am sure Christ finds at least amusing.
It seems that your basic premise is that the Democratic Party is the only truthful and God fearing political party. The same party that has spent the Social Security Trust Fund but maintains that there is NO PROBLEM etc...
This is the same party that overly emphasizes energy production's possible affect on global warming - not realizing that most of global warming is part of natural cycles as well as very bad land uses.
The political party that has polarized global warming and falsely ignored the facts that these natural cycles have predicted the warming as well as the cooling phase to come
The same political party that party affiliates charge others falsely before elections then the liberal press seems to forget to mention when those charged are exonerated. - but only after the election.
As an environmentalist I applaud being more environmental responsible - but the actions must be based on fact not fiction.
If you are really searching for the truth and Christ's way, you will treat all of the major political parties in a similar way .

Posted by: Jim Bauder | May 29, 2007 3:18 AM

Keep doing what you are doing. The items are informative and provide a quick update on important issues.

Posted by: Fred & Cindy Dabrowski | May 29, 2007 4:02 AM

I really like what you are doing. I read many of the same sources you use, but I appreciate the summary form and also the manner in which this makes me think about how the news relates to the core concerns which Sojourners and I share.

Posted by: Virginia Doland | May 29, 2007 5:41 AM

Appreciate the succint and useful summaries. A native of Pennsylvania, I too recommend The Economist, and thank the previous commenters for sources of alternative news. Peace.

Posted by: Dale Long | May 29, 2007 6:31 AM

I think the range of your sources is commendable. A few others have suggested some additional sources that would be good for you to consider. I appreciate your topics covered. I like the synopsis of comments with the opportunity to learn more.

Posted by: Betsy A. Leonard | May 29, 2007 7:36 AM

I saw one person commenting on including papers from the center of the US and that is very important. Many of those papers focus on the good things happening through out their community so we all should have that information also!! Even though I have a MA from Univ of Chicago, it is with illnesses that the hard points seem to fade away. So, some stuff for those of us with disablity also. But all in all Jim, you have taken a very important part of our Christian lives and focus fully on all parts of it. Thank you

Posted by: Marilou | May 29, 2007 8:39 AM

A comment from Ireland. Mary (also form Ireland, see above) mentions the Irish Times. Unfortunately it is a subscription based only service.
www.opendemocracy.net might be of interest to your readers although it is not from an American perspective.

Posted by: D nal | May 29, 2007 10:40 AM

I really enjoy the Daily digest at Sojourner. But I would like to see more coverage of indigenous peoples issues. God Bless!

Posted by: Goran | May 29, 2007 12:36 PM

Too much from US sources; not enuf international. You should add NPR, the Lebanon Daily Star, and more international sources. If I had been reading your sources before the latest Iraq war, would I have understood the issues? The NY Times and Washington Post were mostly wrong, i.e. they published the Bush administration with insufficient critique. At that time, I was reading the Guardian and BBC, and had a much better understanding of what was going on than most of the people in the US. So I am very carefull how much I read US sources.

Posted by: Wendell | May 29, 2007 2:03 PM

Try the ABC of Australia for a view from the South of SE Asia which is not dominated by corporate interests. http://www.abc.net.au/

Posted by: John Holmes | May 29, 2007 2:51 PM

The daily digest is a great resource. You do a great job pulling together solid articles that I would never have the time to find on my own.
I have also found NCR and the Independent helpful. For straight news, direct AP, AFP, or Reuters wire feeds might be good to offer. But I would especially like to see more articles offering analysis of the news as well. These may be more likely to come from journals, news mags, or online sources than from the dailies. Maybe the Nation or Tikkun. Also some of the popular news mags occasionally have stuff worth seeing - a Newsweek article on the pope and politics, for ex.
The idea of a rural perspective is not bad, it's just that middle or Southern newspapers (the Atlanta Journal Constitution) are not good sources for much more than local news. Sometimes the local news is worth seeing of course, and may have ambitious articles on local poverty issues or faith and politics. I'm wary of those wishing to see "balance" - a prophetic calling can too easily be muddled up in the whole "there's two sides to every issue" approach.
Finally, I would love it if the daily digest was emailed in total, with all the article links contained in the message itself. A big time saver. Thanks!

Posted by: Rob O'Callaghan | May 29, 2007 3:42 PM

Don't change too much, I like what you are doing!

Posted by: Charles Rogers | May 29, 2007 4:34 PM

Whatever you do, keep publishing those obituaries from The Bellamy Bugle.

Posted by: canucklehead | May 29, 2007 6:35 PM

thank you for daily compassionate attentiveness/awareness ("bodhichitta"). thanks also for this opportunity for dialogue! as many others have also expressed, i feel i can rely on your eye to give me a bird's eye view of several important issues. Recommendations: yes, move farther beyond U.S. orientation; include more Western Hemisphere (Canada and Latin America), as well as Asia and Africa. Also: more direct inclusion of perspectives and activities from other religious/spiritual streams--Muslim and Buddhist particularly. Finally, help us keep in mind the lives of ordinary folk here and around the world, and how they live and are affected by the "lifestyles" and daily choices of those "more fortunate" (such a questionable phrase!), such as me on my computer mid-morning. Namaste! murphy

Posted by: murphy | May 29, 2007 6:44 PM

How about something from the former Knight-Ridder group (now McClatchy). According to Bill Moyers this was one of the few consistent media voices in opposition to the Bush administration's build-up to the Iraq war. Courageous stuff in retrospect.

Posted by: Sam Stover | May 29, 2007 6:57 PM

I would add the website Americans United for the Seperation of Church and State. I read their blog almost daily and they keep me on top of church/state issues in the country.

Posted by: Kathy | May 29, 2007 11:21 PM

You know, Duane, those are papers I pretty much scan myself, other than Chicago Tribune and USA Today. I think your efforts at summary are quite good, although somewhat redundant for me. Maybe I'm wasting your time sending to me. I do usually scan your Digest, though, as well.
Thanks for your efforts, Duane. Len

Posted by: Len Byler | May 29, 2007 11:54 PM

You seem to be a little lean on examining global humanitarian issues except through general news sources. Check out Reuters and www.alertnet.org for really interesting up-to date news dispatches, blogs, and articles that respond to worldwide needs.

Posted by: Jayne Raffety | May 30, 2007 1:07 AM

Duane- Your digest is wonderful! I deeply appreciate the time and effort you have put into it. I use it in the development of curriculumn and sermon preparation each week. My current events tied to the lectionary text blog is at http:/cherylcalvarydsm.spaces.live I would echo the need for adding a Mid-Western perspective preferably from a Knight Ridder paper. Their Washington D.C. bureau was the only journilist who got the Iraq story right.

Posted by: Cheryl R. Thomas | May 30, 2007 4:37 PM

I very much enjoy the crisp comments and reviews of issues that are of paramount importance to the Christian faith. I would also appreciate a little more emphasis of the environmental issues and controversies. They require a biblical mandate to become important to the churches. Also the impact of the large corporations in the U.S.A. and Canada on the political parties should be emphasized. We might be surprised to find that the wars are a front for their true agendas. Rudolf Dyke

Posted by: Rudolf Dyke | May 30, 2007 6:12 PM

Duane, While the stories covered in the daily news digest are certainly relevant and important, I generally do not read those posts. One of the main reasons is that, as a clergy person with a concern for social justice and public policy, I try to really keep up with these stories via news sources and blogs, etc. One of the main ways I do this is via Bloglines.com- which is how I receive the God's Politics posts, by the way. I would find it much more beneficial to not just receive a 'summary' of such stories (many or most of which I have usually already read about), but rather a brief concise faith perspective or commentary on them from a social justice point of view would be most helpful. Otherwise it just seems to be a rather generic amalgamation of stories that are already out there and being reported on in the news sources and blogs to which I already subscribe. I greatly appreciate the fact that you are bringing these stories to a wider public audience, I just believe there is more you could do with them to effectively connect them with the progressive faith perspective that Sojourners is all about. Shalom, John from Philadelphia

Posted by: John from Philly | May 31, 2007 3:45 PM

You cover a good range. One reader mentioned French and German. Der Spiegel has an English site: http://www.spiegel.de/international/ From Israel Jerusalem Post is more conservative than Ha Arets but has some interesting Israeli and American Jewish perspectives. As Russian relations become more important again, you might consider The Moscow Times http://www.themoscowtimes.com/indexes/01.html and / or Kommersant (in English) at http://www.kommersant.com/. Another Arab perspective is available in the English language weekly version of Al Ahram (sometimes described as "semi-official"): http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/index.htm.

Posted by: Steve | June 1, 2007 6:36 PM

You give a broad and concise spectrum of the news. It is true as has been mentioned above that it might be good to occasionally include some general info from Belgium, or France,or Italy as well as maybe from India or other Asian country on the peace/justice,etc. stance that you take.

THANKS for what you do!

Sue>

Posted by: Sr.Susan DiDomenicantonio | June 8, 2007 8:57 PM

I think what you're doing is great and a noble effort. Sources that I also like to check out for a balanced view (though I am fairly liberal in my own views, I like to stay well-informed) include the following:

-The Wall Street Journal
-The National Review

-The Economist (for great writing and depth that you just don't see in newspapers, this is the best mag/journal on the planet)>

Posted by: Remy Zebrowski | June 16, 2007 7:11 PM