US News and World Report: Does anyone subscribe?

[Jimellow]

I have been on and off the fence about whether I should subscribe to a weekly news magazine or not, and while checking out the various websites just now, I noticed that US News & World Report is offering a year's subscription (53 issues) for $20.

I've read a few issues here and there in the past, and it seems to be a pretty solid news magazine.

I'm curious if any of you subscribe to this and if you do, how you think it compares to other news periodicals, like Time, Newsweek, etc.?

Also, I really like The Economist, but it's subscription price is a little too much for me at this point, so in a semse, I'm looking for the next best thing.

Thoughts?

[lurkette]

I think the Economist is worth the price - you get serious, mature, thoughtful reporting and not just the processed McNews that other magazines offer. Time and Newsweek are particularly guilty, and USN&WR is just a cut above, IMHO. Frankly, you might as well just read MSNBC online if you want that level of reporting, and it's free.

[warrrreagl]

I loved it when I received USN&WR every week. It was always good, quality journalism. What was so odd was that I got a subscription that I never paid for. About three years ago, I started receiving the magazine out of the blue, but it defintely had my name and address on the label. No one in my family or workplace would have ever gone out on such a limb and purchased it for me as a gift, especially since the expiration date on the label indicated that my subscription would run for 12 YEARS!

I never contacted the magazine about the error, and they definitely never sent me any renewal forms. However, when my wife and I moved to another state last year, the magazines abruptly stopped. I guess the hassle of forwarding the mail fixed whatever glitch was causing me to receive free copies.

Weird.

[FL8ME]

When I was in high school, I used to read my old man's copies of US News before he'd get home. Maybe I was just young, but I found the reading pretty dry. Still haven't touched a copy of it and it's been quite a few years since then. Now when I have the chance I tend to read NewsWeek (you can subscribe for around 15 or 16 bucks a year). I do have pretty liberal leanings so I can put up with it. Before you decide which magazine to subscribe to, read a few different ones and decide which angle on the news you enjoy (they all have an angle). You don't want to get a subscription and then find out it pisses you off more than informs you. Or maybe that is what you want

[Jimellow]

Thanks for the replies..

While I do like The Economist, I personally find it's too much, and for me, doesn't focus on the Americas enough. As nice as reading world news is, there's a large portion of the magazine I just don't care to read about, and while just not reading that portion is certainly an option, I can't justify spending such a large amount of a subscription when I know I won't be reading it in its entirety.

Regarding the political angles the magazines take.. That is an interesting point. So Newsweek is liberal? What is Time? Any others worth mentioning/consideration?

I'd like to go pick up a few at the store, but after buying a bunch I'l lhave spent enough to pay for a subscription.. So maybe I'll just hang there and read them.

My experience (brief at most) with Time is that it is more story-oriented than news-oriented (if that makes sense), while US News seems to report more news and not have as many big stories.. Not sure where Newsweek falls as I haven't read it lately (if ever).

It's interesting you mention US News being a little dry, because when I did pick up a copy a few months ago, I shared a similiar sentiment.. It wasn't bad writing, but it wasn't interesting.. Granted, it was also probably just slow/boring news week..

I'd really like to subscribe to a news magazine, because, while we do get the paper every day, I don't read it, but I would read a weekly news magazine.. I already subscribe to a few sports magazines, and a news magazine would compliment them nicely.. I guess I just have to decide on the right one..

[maleficent]

I don't know Time's schedule, but I beleive they are on Newsweeks print schedule as well.. But the drawback, if you consider it one, to US News, is their magazine goes to press late Friday night, Newsweek, goes to press late Saturday night. That doesn't mean a whole lot, except if something happens on a Saturday, unless it's major, US News won't do a stop the presses, so they go with what they have, newsweek can include saturday news stories in their magazines.

All three magazines, generally run the same cover story, and have almost the same stories in the magazines, so it's not a lot of difference.

[Jimellow]

Originally Posted by maleficent

I don't know Time's schedule, but I beleive they are on Newsweeks print schedule as well.. But the drawback, if you consider it one, to US News, is their magazine goes to press late Friday night, Newsweek, goes to press late Saturday night. That doesn't mean a whole lot, except if something happens on a Saturday, unless it's major, US News won't do a stop the presses, so they go with what they have, newsweek can include saturday news stories in their magazines.

All three magazines, generally run the same cover story, and have almost the same stories in the magazines, so it's not a lot of difference.

Good info about the print times, thanks.

Does that mean that of the three, US News will arrive a day sooner, or not necessarily, since mail generally doesn't go out on Sundays?

[maleficent]

They generally all get in the mail at the same time... I beleive that US News gets to the airports though, first... (it's been a while, that info has left my memory bank)