How to Read Many Newspapers a Day

You want a well balanced grasp of what's going on in the world around you. You prefer to read your news rather than hear it broadcast over the television or radio waves. Making time to read enough papers to get a well rounded update on world affairs is a challenge. But it's possible. Read on to learn how to read many newspapers a day.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Internet access or paper subscriptions

1. Pick your papers. The goal is objectivity. Select newspapers from different parts of the country and with different political slants. Listed below, under "Tips" are a few newspapers you might consider. Website addresses are included in the Resources section.
2. Will it be print or online? Sometimes print subscribers have access to parts of a newspaper's website that others do not. Consider your daily routine. Would it be easier for you to read the news online or via print editions? If you spend a lot of time commuting on public transportation or if your day involves a lot of waiting, you might wish to gather your news knowledge through actual papers. On the other hand, if you work near a computer where access to the Internet is allowed, online versions might work better.
3. Whether you go with print or online versions, sign up for breaking news alerts. These are delivered to your email, and sometimes come in the form of text messages. Bookmark the websites of your favorite papers. If you're running Internet Explorer 7 you can set multiple home pages, which appear in separate tabs. This way, you can set all your favorite newspapers to open automatically every time you open Internet Explorer.
4. When it comes to reading, scan and skim for the articles that interest you. If you don't care about the topic, you're probably not going to retain the story. So, skim the headlines first. Then, read the articles.
5. Often times, several newspapers will print the exact same stories. This is because they were distributed by the Associated Press. For the most part, you can ignore repeats from paper to paper. The only time you would spend time on stories covering the same topic is if the story is being presented by a different writer or from another angle.
6. Find time to make this work--before you leave while eating breakfast; during breaks at work; over lunch; while dinner is cooking; on the subway; on your smart phone in the back of a cab, after the kids have gone to bed and the house is quiet. You'll get quicker with practice, and before you know it, you'll be reading five, six or seven newspapers each day with ease.

Tips & Warnings

• Following is a list of national papers you might try: Chicago Tribune, New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, USA Today, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Kansas City Star, Arkansas Democrat Gazette, Los Angeles Times and the Miami Herald.
• Don't become overwhelmed. Remember, your goals are to skim for articles that interest you; compare articles of the same topic written from different slants; and enjoy the wealth of knowledge you're gaining.