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As young professionals it is very important to stay abreast of current events and what’s going on in our community and the communities that surround us.

Oftentimes, it can be difficult to find news sources that you can trust. When watching/reading the news, you want to leave the publication feeling that you have your questions answered, that the information was presented fairly, that you have a better understanding of the topic or issue and that angles to stories that you were not aware of were presented.

Papers/websites to start with:

*The New York Times. One of the world’s most respected papers, and the premier paper of the nation. Although, often labeled as a liberal paper. It is a good source for national information.
*The Washington Post. The official paper of “The District,” but it is known as a haven for breaking news. This paper was the publication that broke the Watergate scandal with the infamous “deep throat” as the informant. Not only is it a great source of information inside the beltway, but there are great editorials in this paper.
*The Wall Street Journal. Far more than business news lies in this paper. This is also a great cultural news source. You can find all kinds of information. From personal financing to futures and oil prices to the features on culture and the arts in the Journal. (One of my personal favorite fashion and style reporters, Teri Agins, works for the paper).
*Christian Science Monitor. Although, it is published by The First Church of Christ, Scientist, this paper is not a religious periodical. It is an international paper and a solid source of international information.
*Your hometown daily paper is a first stop for local news and information.
* To check out the front pages of every paper across the nation go here.

A great site online for solid editorial content is slate.com. This site is well-respected for it’s analytical treatment of current events, and funny opinions.

Also, take a look at your community newspapers. The Black press generally delves deeper into issues that might be over-looked by mainstream media. Also, it is a great way to support Black-owned businesses.

As far as television is concerned, AlJazeera is in the process of creating an English version of it’s Arabic show. Many people see AlJazeera as the “Osama network” since that is where all of Bin Laden’s tapes have been viewed. However, AlJazeera is important to understanding the tensions and conflicts in other parts of the world. The unfiltered news network shows an un-American (which does not mean anti-American) view that may aide in the understanding of why there is conflict in middle-eastern countries. If you can find the British Broadcast Channel, it is also a great source of news.

You can also watch the big three: ABC, NBC, CBS for their different treatment of the news. I suggest “shopping for news.” It is quite easy to find one anchor you like and stick with that person, but sometimes that may limit the perspective you receive from that particular broadcast. Try instead (if it doesn’t annoy you too much) channel surfing between the three. They generally cover the same headlines everyday, but how they handle each story might provide information that the other stations did not.

CNN and Headline News are great for breakfast viewing when you want to know the headlines without all the details, but for more detailed information en route to work or the gym, check out your local NPR station (National Public Radio). Information about current events is presented thoroughly, and there are great feature stories on a variety of topics. Also, you can find three great shows on NPR, the Tavis Smiley report, which generally airs on Saturday mornings, and News and Notes with Ed Gordon and Farai Chideya.

Finally, there are a few stations that have great programming and commentary for African-Americans. If you have access to cable be sure to check out TV One who has really become a fore-runner in creating original shows that address concerns in our community. Lifestyle shows like B. Smith with Style, Living It Up with Patti LaBelle and Turn Up the Heat with G. Garvin are nice alternatives to Martha Stewart Living and Rachel Ray (no offense if you like those shows). The highlights are Black Enterprise presents Our World with Ed Gordon. Great commentary on issues that affect Black America, and 60-minute style slice of life stories about the accomplishments of people in the community. Also, Singletary Says is a show done by Washington Post columnist Michelle Singletary. She gives common sense advice about how make the most of your money. You can check out her column “The Color of Money,” which focuses on increasing Black wealth in the community, in the Business section of the Post. Star Jones-Reynold now hosts “The Star Jones-Reynold Report,” which takes a comprehensive look at what African-Americans are talking about. TV One has classic re-runs like 227, Amen, Showtime at the Apollo, Martin, etc.

BETJ, the sister station to BET, has a roundtable show called “My Two Cents” produced by Crystal McCrary Anthony that has progressive talk about real issues in the community.

This is just a starter list of places to get your news and views. What are some of your favorites?