10 Steps to Quick News Fast News

First, ask yourself the following questions:

• Are you the kind of person, who keeps saying to yourself,
  “I know I should be keeping up with the news, but I just don’t find the time!”
• Do you get your fix of world news from what your friends share on Facebook?
• Do you want to know the best online resources for following world news?

If you answered YES to any of these questions, then this article is definitely for you.

In this article, you will get step-by-step instructions to follow world news in a quick and easy fashion.

But before we delve into the details, you must learn the basics first. You must learn…

the three secrets to world (news) domination.

THE THREE SECRETS

Secret # I. Get regular

The first secret is darn simple — “Get regular.“

By this, I mean that you need to get regular about following the news i.e. you need to fix times during the day when you would be tuning into your preferred news outlets (thus building your very own ‘news regimen‘)

For starts, here is a sample news-reading regimen (click through to the relevant sections for more details):

1. Listen to a 5-minute news bulletin (Step 1) at a set time every day — on the drive to office, during the cool-down time at gym, while doing chores etc..
2. Listen to TED-radio hour (Step 5) or other long-form programming (Step 4) on long drives, in layover between planes etc.
3. When in the mood for something light, listen to a program like “Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me“, that allows you to have some fun, while making sure you learn something in the process.

Secret # II. Get passive

The second secret involves the trick of passive news-reading.

‘Passive’ news-reading is the act of following news along with some low-concentration activity e.g. listening to news on online radio while cooking/jogging/driving (Step 1), watching your favorite news program while on the treadmill etc.

Secret # III. Get sub-conscious (with ‘stream of consciousness reading’)

Stream of consciousness reading is a super powerful trick for following news.

Here’s how to go about it: When your are in front of your computer at office, but are absolutely tired to do something productive, use  that down-time by random but directed browsing of news sources e.g. browsing the LinkedIn app (Step 6), Twitter (Step 8), or going through those piled up email newsletters (Step 7).

Because you are not using your full attention at this activity, it may seem useless at first. But stick to it for some time, and you are sure to reap the subconscious benefits soon.

THE TEN STEPS TO QUICK NEWS

Now that you know the basics, let’s get down and dirty with the…

The TEN steps to “quick news”

Step 1. Listen to news.

Don’t read news. Listen to it.

Listen to news via online radio (online radio is radio that you can stream to your PC / smart-phone)

This has the following benefits:

• No strain on the eyes
• You can do it while exercising, cooking, loading the dishwasher etc.
• 24×7 access at your fingertips

Step 2. Bookmark these sites

Bookmark these exceptional online radio sites:

• NPR (National Public Radio, USA)

  Tune into the NPR hourly news summary:

  (On the PC): Go to npr.org >> Listen >> NPR Newscast

  (On the smartphone or PC): Go to http://npr.org/templates/listen. Bookmark this link for easy access.

• Economist radio
• BBC radio
• Indians should also add All India Radio to their list of bookmarks

Step 3. Get these apps

Install these apps:

• National Public Radio (NPR) app (iOS and Android) – for access to programs like:
  • “All Things Considered“
  • “TED Radio Hour“
  • “Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me“
• BBC radio app (iOS, Android)

Step 4. Listen to editorials

Listen to the following editorial / op-ed shows:

• Audio posts titled ‘Special Reports‘ on Economist radio present every issue’s cover article.
• Shows on NPR like All Things Considered, Weekend Edition Saturday and Sunday

Step 5. Listen to TED radio hour

NPR’s TED radio hour distills the best of TED talks into hour long episodes. Ideal listening material for long commutes/drives.

Step 6. Use LinkedIn for news

The LinkedIn app (or LinkedIn.com) is a crowd-sourced aggregation of news that is relevant to your particular profession, and to the world of business in general.

Remember: Following thought leaders you like is key.

Step 7. Subscribe to email newsletters

You may dread signing up for email newsletters, but some niche websites and blogs provide a lot of useful information through such newsletters.

8. Use Twitter

Many people swear by Twitter as their primary source of world news. As Zoe Barnes (House of Cards) might have put it, this is the present and the future of news.

9. Have Some Fun

Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me is NPR’s weekly news quiz. If you ever found news to be boring, this show is bound to change your opinion of news. This show is an hour-long roller coaster of fun, but also packs a substantial dosage of news and information.

Added bonus:

• Recap of the week’s quirky news

10. Read! Read! Read!

Well, if you start following one or more of the steps above, you are surely on your way to “world (news) domination”. But never underestimate the power of the written word! The jury is still out, but the pen may be mightier than the ‘s(poken)-word’.

A comprehensive list of good news-sites is beyond the scope of this piece, but here’s a start::

• Huffington Post
• wired.com
• LifeHacker …
• Websites of all respectable traditional newspaper houses

YOUR TURN NOW!

OK. Your turn now!

If you found any of the above suggestions useful (or not useful at all), you can help in further improving this page with your feedback.

• Please share your news-‘reading’ secrets in the comments section below.
• Write about your news reading regimen.
• Write if you find any important news source missing above.

I will incorporate the best of these tips and tricks into future revisions of this page. [Of course, submission credits are guaranteed — That means that you may see your name on this page when I incorporate your news-reading tip in future revisions 🙂 ]