10 Alternative news sources on the web

By Timothy Mullaney

Education Articles

Once upon a time, the newspaper came once or twice a day. Now, you probably fire up your web browser when you want to know what's going on, and you're not limited to your hometown paper. But maybe you're still stuck in a rut, going to the same old websites again and again.

If you need to refresh your perspective, the 10 sites below are great places to start.

Top 10 sites for news junkies craving something different

Slate Despite being owned by The Washington Post Company, Slate is a decidedly off-kilter voice among news sites. In addition to its influential political coverage, the site's "Explainer" columns take on sometimes amusing questions ("Do Parrots Have Any Idea What They're Talking About?") and its "Dear Prudence" advice columns don't shy away from provocative issues.

Alternet In addition to providing original reporting and news analysis, Alternet aggregates compelling content from around the Internet, from sources such as ProPublica and TruthOut. Alternet is committed to creating an activist online community, and boasts more than 30,000 registered commenters.

Jezebel Wondering why Kim Kardashian was snubbed by Anna Wintour? Like the headline "Is a Secret Celebrity Tattletale Actually Robert Downey Jr."? Then click through to Jezebel for woman-centered but man-friendly news.

Mashable You've probably read syndicated Mashable stories on such mainstream news sites as ABC and CNN, but for an entertaining mega-dose of alternative news stories, go to the source. The Mashable website focuses on digital culture and social media trends and was ranked by social media analytics service Klout as the web's most influential media site.

Buzzfeed Nowadays, the Internet isn't just a place to read the news. The Internet makes the news. From viral videos to outrageous tweets, Buzzfeed will keep you in the loop.

TMZ When Justin Bieber protested the arrest of his manager in 2010, TMZ was there to get the video. When Sheryl Crow forgot the lyrics to one her own songs, TMZ reported the concert flub. When quarterback Tom Brady stepped out with a new hairdo, TMZ snapped the pics. It's been expertly blurring the line between celebrity gossip and entertainment news since 2005.

Current Founded in 2005 by Joel Hyatt and Al Gore, Current is a TV network and website that has served as a platform for progressive voices like former New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer and former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm.

Buzznet Part social network, part culture news one-stop, users supply the content for this site, which is the flagship website for Buzz Media. In total, Buzz Media's brands -- including Buzznet, Celebuzz and JustJared -- reach more than 100 million people worldwide.

Mediabistro The media is the message on this site, which doubles as a community gathering place for media pros and a media news hub. Here, you can find videos of luminaries like Frank Rich and Dan Rather discussing their careers, and the site hosts a number of blogs dedicated to different facets of the media landscape.

Twitter These days, when you say a little bird told you something, everyone knows what you mean. You heard it on Twitter. You can choose to follow your favorite news sources and reporters, to get 140-character bursts of news and commentary all day long.

About the Author
Tim Mullaney's recognitions include the Salamander Magazine Prize and the Gival Press Short Story Award. He is a former Van Lier Fellow at the Asian American Writers' Workshop in New York City and has taught writing at Washington University in St. Louis. He currently lives in Chicago.