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Big Think is a YouTube channel featuring experts like Bill Clinton, Bill Nye, Michio Kaku, and Neil DeGrasse Tyson, offering educational and actionable content to help viewers get smarter. The channel also provides articles on a range of intellectual topics, as well as access to a library of content with insight from world-renowned individuals. With over 4.77 million subscribers, Big Think is a go-to source for knowledge and expertise.

Top 39 Alternatives To "Big Think"

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Grant Cardone

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The Art of Improvement

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Principles by Ray Dalio

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Improvement Pill

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Evan Carmichael

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Mel Robbins

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Dr. Benjamin Hardy

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Charisma on Command

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Amy Landino

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Better Than Yesterday

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Better Ideas

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Rafael Eliassen

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KnowledgeforMen

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The Will Chow Show

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Nameless - The Dark Side Of Self-Development

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Nena Lavonne, Psy.M.

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Matt D'Avella

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FightMediocrity

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Thomas Frank

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Actualized.org

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Brendon.com

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Skillopedia - Skills for the real world

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Brain Education TV

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Personality Hacker

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Jade Joddle - Speak Well

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Mind Movies

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Old Souls and Seekers

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The School of Life

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Rowena Tsai

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Be Inspired

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Anthony Ongaro

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10 Free Education Websites that Will Expand Your Horizons [LIST]

It's never too late to learn something new.

websites like big think

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No matter how old or young you are, there's always time to learn something new or delve deeper into a topic that really interests you. With so many free education websites out there, the opportunities to improve your knowledge and expand your horizons are endless. Make some free time because exploring these 10 brilliant websites will keep you busy for a very, very long time. Enjoy!

1. KHAN ACADEMY

WHAT: A non-profit educational website providing world-class education for anyone, anywhere. HOW: Khan Academy features a vast library of easy-to-follow educational content, replete with 5,000 micro lectures via YouTube video tutorials. TEACHER'S PET: After signing up , Khan Academy will remember what you've learned and provide at-a-glance information so you can keep track of your goals. WEBSITE: https://www.khanacademy.org/ 

2. P2PU

WHAT: A peer to peer open learning community for people to delve into various topics through online courses and study groups. HOW: Anyone is welcome to create a course or study group and share their knowledge with other users. TEACHER'S PET: For extra motivation, feedback Badges are awarded and provide a way for learners to improve their projects. WEBSITE: https://p2pu.org/en / 

3. BIG THINK

WHAT: An evolving roadmap to the best thinking on the planet. HOW: Hundreds of articles and videos tackling emerging  “big ideas” make up this knowledge forum. The relevant and actionable ideas cover themes stretching from Earth and Beyond to Extreme Biology . TEACHER'S PET: An ever-growing network of top thinkers and doers from around the world help make this site a platform for real knowledge that can be applied to the challenges of daily life. WEBSITE: http://bigthink.com / 

4. THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE

WHAT: A non-profit, tuition-free, degree-granting online academic institution that believes access to higher education is a key ingredient in the promotion of world peace. HOW: UoPeople has managed to succeed in cutting down almost the entire cost of higher education by bringing together top academic leaders and international foundations. TEACHER'S PET: Some 200 Haitian students have been accepted to study at the University as part of a program promoting education in underserved regions of the world. WEBSITE:   https://www.uopeople.edu/    

5. CURRIKI

WHAT: A global community for users to create, share, and find free learning resources. HOW: Curriki contains thousands of free lessons and curricula built by educators that are shared throughout the Curriki community using collaborative networking groups . TEACHER'S PET: Geek out on the latest free education news and advice over at the Curriki Blog . WEBSITE: http://www.curriki.org/welcome/ 

6. ACADEMIC EARTH

WHAT: A comprehensive collection of free online college courses from the world's top universities. HOW: By curating links to over 750 online courses and 8,500 individual online lectures, Academic Earth gives people the opportunity to learn a whole host of topics at their own pace. TEACHER’S PET: Take on some extracurricular electives with this selection of original, thought-provoking videos . WEBSITE: http://academicearth.org / 

7. WOLFRAM DEMONSTRATIONS PROJECT

WHAT: A site full of interactive illustrations that add a whole new dimension to learning online. HOW: Dynamic computation technology is used to create illustrations that bring to life concepts in a fascinating way that will get you hooked. TEACHER’S PET: Create your own interactive demonstration and share it with the online community. WEBSITE: http://demonstrations.wolfram.com/index.htm l 

8. SAYLOR

WHAT: A collection of over 300 free, self-paced, online courses . HOW: By focusing on topics centered around the highest enrollment majors in the U.S, the courses that Saylor offers are relevant and the skills gained transferable. TEACHER’S PET: Online forums provide a great opportunity for users to meet and share with fellow students, faculty, and staff. WEBSITE: http://www.saylor.org/ 

9. UNIVERSITY OF REDDIT

WHAT: The more educated older brother of every techie’s favorite social networking site, Reddit . HOW : The University of Reddit lets people share their expertise and educational materials through class lectures and videos on a unique online community. TEACHER’S PET: Spread the love - think of something you're an expert at and teach your own class to other users. WEBSITE: http://www.ureddit.com / 

10. ALISON

WHAT: A global online learning community dedicated to helping others develop essential workplace skills. HOW: People can gain the qualifications they need by enrolling in one of the 600 high-quality, certified, multimedia courses available for free. TEACHER’S PET: ALISON is a high achiever and has been recognized globally by UNESCO and other important international bodies. WEBSITE: http://alison.com / 

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13 Interesting and Intellectual Websites to Feed Your Brain

Crystal Crowder

Whether you’re looking to learn something new or see something from a new perspective, there is a wide variety of interesting websites filled with thought-provoking content. Pick your favorites and add them to your favorite RSS reader or subscribe to their email newsletters.

1. Farnam Street

2. the marginalian (formerly brain pickings), 3. ted talks.

  • 4. Harper's Magazine

7. Wait But Why

8. open culture, 9. thoughtco., 10. nautilus, 11. information is beautiful, 12. longreads, 13. jstor daily, frequently asked questions.

Also read: 5 of the Best Websites to Learn Morse Code Online for Free

Helping you make the most out of your brain to learn faster and smarter.

Interesting Websites To Feed Your Brain Fs

  • Articles are organized by topic for quick access
  • Subscribe to a free weekly newsletter
  • Has an interesting podcast as well
  • Some content and features are only for paying members
  • Site itself is very minimal design-wise

Farnam Street is well-known for content designed to help you learn faster, think better, improve decision making, and teach you how to use your brain better. For instance, learn from some of the biggest intellectual giants, such as Richard Feynman or Peter Bevelin . You can also pick up how to learn and recall things faster and easier than before or how to get more out of every reading session.

Interesting Websites To Feed Your Brain Fs Knowledge

Make sure you don’t miss The Knowledge Podcast with incredible interviews, lessons, and amazing insights. You can get early episodes, no ads, extra content, book summaries, and more by becoming a member for $20/month or $100/year.

Also read: 7 of the Best Apps to Learn New Languages

Insightful content designed to give you a deeper meaning of life.

Interesting Websites To Feed Your Brain Marginalian

  • Long-form content on a variety of insightful topics
  • Completely ad-free
  • Two different newsletters (weekly digest and random archive posts)
  • Topics may sometimes feel random (though they do fit the overall theme of broadening the mind and heart)

The Marginalian , formerly known as “Brain Pickings,” is the brain child of Maria Popova. Since the site began in 2006, Popova has written millions of pages worth of content examining art, science, philosophy, history, and much more. Gain inspiration through the stories of others, such as Resolutions for a Life Worth Living , or understand how witchcraft, our universe, and science fiction relate in How Kepler Invented Science Fiction and Defended His Mother in a Witchcraft Trial While Revolutionizing Our Understanding of the Universe .

Since the site is ad-free, Popova does kindly ask that you consider donating once or even monthly to help offset the costs of running the site, but it’s not required.

Learn from thought-leaders on almost any topic through engaging talks.

Interesting Websites To Feed Your Brain Ted

  • Talks are from experts and thought leaders in their fields
  • Content is always engaging and sometimes even entertaining
  • Each talk is designed to educate or help broaden your mind
  • Some content is only for members ($5/month or $50/year)

TED Talks is one of the most interesting websites to visit. There are numerous topics, such as ancient worlds, encryption, language, music, philosophy, vulnerability, and everything in between. Talks are usually less than 20 minutes, making them ideal to listen to on the way to work. There are also transcripts available.

You can also check out podcasts via the TED Audio Collective or read the insightful Ideas blog . While you can search by topic or get recommendations, a few great talks to get you started include Tim Urban: Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator , Jon Ronson: When Online Shaming Goes Too Far , and Andrew Solomon: Depression, the Secret We Share.

Also read: 8 of the Best Mental Health Apps on Android

4. Harper’s Magazine

Long-form journalism at its best as the magazine examines culture, politics, society, and the environment.

Interesting Websites To Feed Your Brain Harpers Magazine

  • Founded in 1850 and even featured Theodore Roosevelt, Tom Wolfe and Winston Churchill
  • Original and innovative thinking is the premise
  • Covers politics, society, the environment, and more through a thorough journalistic approach, along with fiction and engaging essays
  • Some content is only for print/digital subscribers ($23.99 for one year or $33.99 for two years)

Harper’s Magazine started in print in 1850 to encourage new and well-known voices to talk about the issues of the day. It’s still going strong today. If you prize well-researched long-form content with interviews, facts, and new perspectives, this might just be one of the most intellectual sites to visit.

Find the month’s latest statistics in the Harper’s Magazine Index or thoughtful articles on current issues, such as February’s feature Free Country on extremist gun rights. While some posts are behind a paywall, subscriptions give you access to Harper’s Magazine’s full 171-year archive. Or you could try to bypass the paywall at your own risk.

The ad-free place for serious thinkers; discover the world from new perspectives.

Interesting Websites To Feed Your Brain Aeon

  • Completely ad-free and no paywall (donations are welcome)
  • Covers a wide range of topics from history to technology
  • Includes text and video content, including an entire section specifically from experts
  • May feel too psychological for some readers

Aeon is a unique place on the Internet filled with thought-provoking ideas from a wide range of voices. The site includes essays, videos, and audio content on philosophy, science, psychology, society, and culture. You’ll find interesting essays about animals, such as Becoming a Centaur , and details about ancient worlds, such as this piece on Uncovering Sparta .

The Ideas section of the site provides in-depth content created by experts in their fields. Psychologists, philosophers, and more come together to explain human nature. Subscribe to the free newsletter so that you never miss a thing. Also check out Aeon’s partner site, Psyche , for more about the human condition.

Also read: Top 9 Mental Health Podcasts to Add to Your Playlist

Read and even write about any topic imaginable, helping you learn something new every day.

Interesting Websites To Feed Your Brain Medium

  • Almost any topic imaginable is available on Medium
  • Editors hand-pick front page content in each category
  • You can contribute your own thought-provoking content
  • Anyone can contribute, which means some content won’t be as great as others
  • Only some content is free, with the rest requiring a $5/month subscription to help pay writers

Medium is a unique entry on this list, but it’s equally one of the most interesting and weird websites to feed your brain. Since it’s a blogging platform, you never know what you might find. However, that’s part of the appeal. Long-form, well-written content typically rises to the top. To make it easier to find the best content, editors hand-pick what to feature.

You can also find individual publications on specific topics, where content is carefully chosen. For instance, Personal Growth and Better Humans both help you learn how to live better, while Start It Up helps you grow your ideas.

Answering the world’s most burning questions with some light-hearted humor and visuals.

Interesting Websites To Feed Your Brain Wait But Why

  • Looks like a comic site, but you’ll always leave with new knowledge
  • Explains complex topics in layman’s terms with plenty of visuals
  • Learn and laugh at the same time
  • Content is uploaded very sporadically
  • Might feel too cartoony for some (but that’s also what makes it great)

Wait But Why is easily one of the most interesting websites to visit to learn something new or just to procrastinate when you’re bored. Think of it as a mix between webcomics and a deep dive into human nature, science, and even culture. It may seem weird at first, then you realize it’s just a cool website that really can do it all.

Interesting Websites To Feed Your Brain Wait But Why 2

Mailbag posts are some of the best, as Tim Urban tries to answer reader questions with a mix of humor and well-researched facts. You’ll even find the occasional series about society in general.

Also read: 12 of the Best Websites to Read Manga Online

Culture and education blend into a platform filled with free brain food resources.

Interesting Websites To Feed Your Brain Open Culture

  • Free educational resources, including courses, audiobooks, textbooks, and more
  • Long-form cultural content, both text and video
  • Content on numerous topics
  • All the resource lists can feel overwhelming

Open Culture is the place to go if you’re looking for educational resources, such as academic courses, free textbooks, and language lessons. You’ll also find lists of movies, lectures, favorite books of famous individuals, and more. In addition to all the free resources, there are also regular posts on a variety of topics, such as The Amazing Engineering of the James Webb Telescope (astronomy), Sci-Fi Pioneer Hugo Gernsback Predicts Telemedicine in 1925 (health), and Behold the Photographs of John Thomson, the First Western Photographer to Travel Widely Through China (1870s) (travel & history).

Easily find content by filtering by topic. Otherwise, just scroll and enjoy the latest posts.

Thoughtful and educational content designed to further your learning throughout your life.

Interesting Websites To Feed Your Brain Thoughtco

  • All content written by experts in their fields
  • Focused on expanding your education no matter your age
  • Includes language-learning resources (including ESL)
  • Doesn’t feature any opinion or perspective-style pieces
  • Content doesn’t have much personality

ThoughtCo. is a premiere educational resource for both kids and adults. It focuses heavily on science, technology, and math, but also includes humanities and languages. All writers have degrees and a professional background in the fields they write about.

For adult learners, there’s guidance on how to continue your education and potential paths in different fields. Or anyone of any age can just browse and learn something new every day. Find out more about Martin Luther King, Jr. , learn why math is considered a language , or discover the relationship between culture and nature .

Also read: 10 Useful YouTube Channels That Teach You How to Code

Learning how science connects the world with deep dives and engaging content.

Interesting Websites To Feed Your Brain Nautilus

  • Deep dives into various science topics
  • Features different themes monthly
  • Offers narrated stories to listen to
  • Only focuses on science
  • Must subscribe for some content (offers three different plans)

Nautilus is a popular print science magazine that’s also available online. You can read most of the current issue’s content for free on the website, but there are ads. Each month, there’s a new theme that uses science to explain how the world’s connected, including combining science with culture, humanity, and nature.

A subscription to the print magazine or a Nautilus Prime subscription gives you full access to the current issue ad-free, along with past editions.

A beautifully visual look into the most important news and statistics in the world.

Interesting Websites To Feed Your Brain Information Is Beautiful

  • Absorb content quickly with graphics
  • Ideal for brain food snacks
  • Covers a variety of topics
  • No long-form content
  • Content is random

Information Is Beautiful is unlike any other site on this list. Still, it’s one of the most interesting websites and incredibly fun to use. Instead of long-form content, everything is presented in graphical form, such as charts, mind-maps, and infographics. You’ll find everything from COVID-19 stats to rhetological fallacies .

If you’re on the search for brain food, consider this site the appetizer or a quick snack when you have a few free minutes. However, the amount of facts you can learn is immense, making it a worthy addition to this list.

Also read: 10 of the Best Mobile Apps to Help You Stay Healthy

Discover new perspectives on culture, business, current events, and much more with long-form journalism and essays.

Interesting Websites To Feed Your Brain Longreads

  • Long-form content on science, business, art, books, and more
  • Get unique perspectives through personal essays
  • Find must-read books designed to feed your brain
  • Much of the content is curated or submitted from other sites but still carefully chosen by editors to fit the site
  • Supported by ads unless you buy a membership (one-time contribution, $5/month, or $50/year)

Longreads helps fund voices eager to share their thoughts, research, and investigative reporting. All content is long-form, giving you far more detail and depth to stories about local businesses, current events, cultural issues, and even the best food. Learn more about well-known lesser known figures changing the world through Longreads profiles. Try the 2021 best-of roundup to get started.

Personal essays are designed to inform, inspire, and educate, such as Debt Demands a Body . You’ll also find voices from unapologetic women, such as in the piece Inking Against Invisibility .

Also read: 10 of the Best Brain-Training Apps for Android and iOS

The place where scholars provide in-depth background on how today’s events came to be.

Interesting Websites To Feed Your Brain Jstor

  • All content is backed by linked research
  • Content is provided by scholars and experts
  • Access to academic journals, images, books, and other research materials in 75 disciplines
  • Some content and resources are only for educational institutions and research organizations
  • Free researcher accounts are limited to six premium posts/resources per month (premium accounts cost $19.50/month or $199/year)

JSTOR Daily takes a different approach to the news. Instead of just reporting what’s going on, scholars and experts look to the past to explain how things are different and the history of what led to today. For instance, Politics and Power in the United States looks at what led to the January 6th, 2021 insurrection. The Gruesome Truth at the Heart of Squid Game analyzes the dark undertones behind the popular series.

Topics include business, politics, culture, history, education, and more. All content is backed by research from supporting academic and/or scientific journals, which are linked to and free to read for any user. Research groups, including educational institutions, can subscribe (fees vary by type of membership and organization) to access the same research materials that JSTOR Daily writers use.

Also read: 10 of the Best Ebook Readers for Windows, macOS, and Mobile

1. Do I have to pay to use these sites?

Many of the sites above do have some sort of premium model in addition to free content. However, you can choose to only read the free content and still have more than enough brain food to keep you full of thought-provoking content.

Premium models, including donation-only models, are there to help support the hard work of the writers, marketing, and the cost of running the site itself.

2. How can I get content from all these sites in one place?

The easiest way is to use an RSS reader. These gather posts into one feed or allows you to organize content into different feeds/topics. Then, instead of having to visit each site every day or week, you just open your RSS reader.

Web-based RSS readers tend to be the easiest to use since you can log in from anywhere. However, there are also RSS readers for macOS and Windows .

3. Is all the content on the above sites completely factual?

This depends solely on the website. These are all interesting websites, but there are no guarantees that all content is factually accurate. This is especially true of any opinion and essay content. If you doubt any of the content, consider performing additional research.

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Crystal Crowder

Crystal Crowder has spent over 15 years working in the tech industry, first as an IT technician and then as a writer. She works to help teach others how to get the most from their devices, systems, and apps. She stays on top of the latest trends and is always finding solutions to common tech problems.

Featured image: don't fall for one of these VPN myths.

10 Journalism Brands Where You Find Real Facts Rather Than Alternative Facts

By Paul Glader

Shutterstock

Where do we most often find real truth, real facts in a new era of Internet hoaxes, fake news stories and new political administrations that tout their own "alternative facts"?

Many citizens appear confused and worried. News stories from the  BBC and the  New York Time s and Money magazine are reporting (with proof) that dystopian novels such as 1984  by George Orwell and Brave New World  by Aldous Huxley are seeing a noticeable boost in sales. After Meryl Streep's anti-Trump and pro-journalism speech at the Golden Globe awards in January, donations picked up to the Committee to Protect Journalists . Subscriptions to the New York Times and other newspapers have picked up dramatically since Donald Trump was elected president according to the  Columbia Journalism Review and other sources.

Meanwhile, I've been hearing from several well-educated friends, who are wondering if their own reading habits are leading them toward facts or fiction. "Hey man. Got a question for you on this 'fake news' thing," wrote one friend from my high school years. "What's your advice and do you have an opinion on where to find some form of truth in our media today?"

Watch on Forbes:

One key question for any publication is this: If a reporter gets facts in a story wrong, will the news outlet investigate a complaint and publish a correction? Does the publication have its own code of ethics? Or does it subscribe to and endorse the Society of Professional Journalist's code of ethics ? And if a reporter or editor seriously violates ethical codes - such as being a blatant or serial plagiarizer, fabulist or exaggerator - will they be fired at a given news outlet? While some may criticize mainstream media outlets for a variety of sins, top outlets such as the Washington Post, the New York Times, NBC News and the New Republic have fired journalists for such ethics violations. That is remarkable in a world where some celebrities, politicians and other realms of media (other than news... such as Hollywood films "based on a true story") can spread falsehood with impunity.

Another friend writes, "Trump's attacks on the free media has me spooked and I want to support the media somehow. At the same time, I am aware of my liberal bias and would welcome a different point of view as long as it isn't 'alternative facts.' Any suggestions for good publications to subscribe to? I already have subscriptions to the [ Washington ] Post , [ New York ] Times and [ Wall Street ] Journal ."

I am heartened by questions like these. A major shift in political and cultural life in our country means it is a good time for people to improve their own reading and learning habits. The Poynter Institute - an enlightened non-profit in St. Petersburg, Fla., that has an ownership role in the  Tampa Bay Times and provides research, training and educational resources on journalism - provides many excellent online modules to help citizens improve their news media literacy.

In the post-post truth age (that is, an age where one has to work hard to be media literate and find the truthful sources of information), citizens should support local and regional publications that hew to ethical journalism standards and cover local government entities. In my corner of Long Island, that means I read (and sometimes write for) the  Great Neck News and the chain of local newspapers to which it belongs. This year, I also plan to subscribe to Newsday , which is the largest paper that covers Long Island. I would urge citizens to subscribe to their local newspapers as well. This action helps these organizations employ journalists who attend city hall meetings, school board meetings and police precincts to report on how your tax-dollars are being spent, how your constitutional rights are being safeguarded, and to serve as watch dogs on how well your elected officials are serving you.

Realizing that millions more people are scratching their heads, wondering what to read and where to spend their subscription dollars, here are my top 10 large journalistic brands where I believe you can most often find real, reported facts:

1. The New York Times

This is the most influential newspaper in the U.S. in my view. Its editorial page and some of its news coverage take a left-leaning, progressive view of the world. But the NYT also hews to ethical standards of reporting and the classic elements of journalism in America. That's what helps the NYT remain, arguably, the agenda-setting news organization in America. It is a leader in business, politics and culture coverage. *

2. The Wall Street Journal

The largest circulation newspaper in the U.S., the WSJ made its bones as a business newspaper and pioneered new types of feature writing in American journalism (for example, its quirky middle-column feature called the "Ahed" and longer form, in-depth reports called "leders"). As the company was purchased by Australian media mogul Rupert Murdoch in 2007, the WSJ pivoted to cover more general news in addition to business news. The WSJ is still brand X among daily business publications in the world. Its editorial page is a bastion of American free-market conservatism, using the motto, "free markets, free people." With former Republican speechwriters and strategists such as Karl Rove, Peggy Noonan and Bill McGurn writing columns, the WSJ editorial page is often a must-read for Republicans in Washington. And left-leaning readers should not dismiss the WSJ edit page just because they may disagree with its positions. It has won several Pulitzer Prizes for editorials and columns that feature a clear thesis, backed up by thorough fact-based reporting and bold arguments. *

3. The Washington Post

The newspaper that brought down President Richard Nixon with its reporting on the Watergate scandal in the early 1970s maintains its intellectually robust tradition under the new ownership of Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos. The  Post has, for decades, been part of the big three national papers - a peer of the NYT and WSJ - in terms of winning Pulitzer Prizes, hiring the best and brightest reporters and producing big scoops. Of the big three, the Post is arguably the most forward-thinking right now in trying new digital strategies that have boosted readership . And with Bezos' backing, the Post is on a hiring binge for talented reporters while the NYT and WSJ have been pruning their reporting staffs in recent months. Most people think the Post editorial page leans left but is often regarded as more center left than the NYT . *

The BBC is the global standard bearer for excellence in broadcast radio and TV journalism. If only U.S. cable news outlets could follow BBC 's recipe. And while PBS produces some great entertainment, documentary and news programs, its news programs have often seemed to lack the creative energy of the BBC . While NPR produces some fantastic journalism, a bulk of its news coverage seem to come from re-reporting news from the  New York Times and the  Associated Press . And the American public perceives NPR to be more left-leaning than the BBC.

5. The Economist

Another British export, the Economist magazine is staffed with excellent economists and journalists who produce a tightly-edited, factually rigorous account of what's happening in the world each week. One oddity is that the Economist doesn't publish bylines of their writers so you never know who exactly wrote a given piece.

6. The New Yorker

This American treasure publishes sophisticated narrative non-fiction pieces from top writers and reporters each week in a print magazine and, increasingly, on other platforms. The New Yorker is smartly expanding its audience on the web, offering to the masses content that used to be open only to its print subscribers. The magazine itself runs a piece of fiction each week (identifies it as such). The long-form non-fiction reports on politics, culture, business and other topics often take months to report, write and fact check. The result is deep reporting and analysis each week that is hard to find elsewhere. And the narrative structures and techniques the writers use make for enjoyable reading. Similar to the Times, the New Yorker presents a progressive view of the world. Conservative readers should recognize that but not let it detract from them enjoying some of the best reporting and writing happening in the world. *

7. Wire Services: The Associated Press , Reuters , Bloomberg News

You can't exactly "subscribe" to these wire services. But you can trust reports from these organizations to be factual. They provide a backbone of news and information flows about politics and the economy. And their member organizations that surface their reports benefit from this reporting. You can follow these organizations on social media and can also follow certain reporters for these organizations who report on topics of interest to you. These wire services also do have web sites and mobile apps you can use to stay abreast the news. *

8. Foreign Affairs

This bi-monthly magazine is published by the Council on Foreign Relations . It's a serious magazine for people who want intelligence on global affairs. The magazine and its many digital platforms benefits from submissions, dialogue, differing views and analysis from the many top minds on international relations.

9. The Atlantic

This is another national treasure, a monthly magazine that presents a view of the nation and world from Washington D.C. It is informed by many top journalists who write long-form features and also write some analysis. The Atlantic web site sometimes hews to clickable headlines. But the magazine and its parent company also subscribe to American journalism principles of fact-based reporting.

10. Politico

Founded by reporters who left the Washington Post in 2006 , Politico has built itself into a crucial player in politics reporting in the U.S. (and with expansions to Europe). It does publish some products in print, but Politico is easily accessible on the Internet and mobile devices. Keep an eye on Axios , a news startup launched this year by two founders of Politico .

* Disclosures: Earlier in my career, I interned at the Associated Press and the Washington Post. I worked as a staff writer at the Wall Street Journal between 2001-2011. I have also published free-lance articles in the Post, t he New York Times and t he New Yorker (website) as well as some of the publications listed in the runner up lists.

Runners Up:

- National Public Radio

- TIME magazine

-The Christian Science Monitor

- The Los Angeles Times (and many other regional, metropolitan daily newspapers)

- USA Today

Business News Sources:

- FORBES  magazine

- Bloomberg BusinessWeek magazine

- Fortune magazine

- The Financial Times newspaper

Sources of reporting and opinion from the right of the political spectrum:

- National Review

- The Weekly Standard

Sources of reporting and opinion from the left of the political spectrum:

- The New Republic

- The Nation

Paul Glader is an associate professor of journalism at The King's College in New York City, a media scholar at The Berlin School of Creative Leadership  and is on Twitter @PaulGlader . 

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