Where Do You Go For News? (Possible new site I'm starting)

No politics, please. Wanna keep this out of the D&D.

Are there any funny, smart, non-political news websites you like? If so, which ones?

How often do you read the news? Where do you go for it?



Here's why I'm asking the question.

I'll put all my cards on the table.

As some of you know, I'm a writer, and I launched a website a while back, a relationship site, called http://www.ThePlunge.com.

Now I'm working on launching a new site. It will be a cross between a mens site and a news site, but here's the hook: each day, it will cover one topic in a funny way, to both inform and amuse. (Not like The Onion, which is pure comedy, or Daily Show, which is more satire). Kind of like a Cliff's Notes for news. It tells you what you need to know to bluff your way through a cocktail party.

Target audience: The thinking man who, quite frankly, isn't a news junkie. The reader is someone who's maybe heard of the financial reform bill, but if you put a gun to his head, he couldn't really tell you what's in the legislation.

The angle: instead of trying to cover every story every day, with a constant, confusing stream of hourly updates and scoops and breaking news--lots of sites do that--it will simply cover one issue every day. It will take a bigger picture, a broader perspective, bringing you up to speed. (And it needs to be funny. If it's not funny, it won't work.)

Sample headline: "How Cap and Trade is Like a Half-Priced Hooker" (or whatever. I have no idea if that makes any sense. but you get the idea. trying to make hard news relatable, digestible.)

The core premise: there's a huge audience not being served the right way. News publications that are smart/funny are only written for obsessed news junkies. And publications that try to boil the news down...well, they treat the reader like an idiot. (i.e. USA Today)

Also, this would be a non-partisan site (to the extent that that's possible.)

Is there anything out there like this? Would you read something like this?

And I sort of got waaaayyyy off-track, from the original question: Where do you go for news now, besides Clutchfans? ( I admit. I spend way more time on Clutchfans, scouring for Brad Miller / CP updates, than I do actually reading hard news.)

Good idea? Lousy idea?

Thanks in advance!

 

Great call about Cracked. I like that site a lot but never think to go there -- I'll add to rotation, thanks.

 

I've never really gotten into Digg and Reddit, but clearly I'm missing out, and if I'm starting a frickin' news site, that'll need to change.

Dumb question: how is Digg different from Reddit? Which one's better?

 

Thanks everyone. This is helpful.

That's the closest thing I can think of that's out there right now. Two main differences:

1) Daily Show is more satire. Stewart definitely aims to sneakily inform -- and there's that stat about how majority of college-age people get their news primarily from Daily Show -- but the main goal is satire.

And more importantly...

2) I'm less than 1% as funny or smart as John Stewart. Dude's a god. I'll just do what I can in my own way.