Not All Business: A Very Rewarding Read
Written: Dec 17 '99
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Pros: World-class production; excellent writing; surprisingly broad topic coverage; trusted
Cons: Takes a long time to read - lots of material
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| bgabel's Full Review: Wall Street Journal |
I've been a subscriber to the Wall Street Journal since I was a junior in college, back in 1994. Even though I am not a high-flying entrepreneur or big-deal investor, I find the WSJ indispensable. The WSJ features timely coverage of a surprisingly wide array of business and non-business issues. The paper's layout is crisp and remarkably consistent and features some fantastic big-budget advertising, while WSJ's writers have a tenacious grasp of clarity, brevity and intelligence. The physical paper itself is thick and low-contrast and the dimensions are very pleasing. I have yet to find a recurring publication that has better production values than the Wall Street Journal. The editorial page is perhaps America's finest daily display of current supply-sider thought and outlook. In addition to the expected stock tables, the WSJ is filled with human interest stories, articles on the arts and music, columns on managing your career and money, reviews of everything from snowshoes to polo shirts and special sections that cover hot topics like e-Commerce and telecommunications. What keeps me as a subscriber is the broad focus this business daily takes. The WSJ is not simply about stocks and bonds, it's about the modern free-market economy and how it affects our lives.
Some people may complain the paper is a lifestyle newszine for the affluent and influential. I personally don't find the paper stodgy or snotty at all, but after reading the paper every day for five years, it is easy to believe that everybody out there makes a ton of money. I remember reading one column on corporate dress saying that a person my age (26) typically is at the point of his or her career where the purchase of a tuxedo makes some sense (instead of renting one). Well, I don't know about you, but I haven't worn a tux since I attended a Christmas formal in college and I haven't worn a suit to work in about 3 years. I'm a software developer - what can I say? Maybe if I worked downtown I'd be attending all these black tie events, but all of the IT jobs are out in the laid-back suburbs...The WSJ is not an Everyman's paper like, say, the USA Today. But it isn't a less-than-accessible and stuffy publication like the Economist. Every once in a while, I'll read an article that sounded like it was written just for me. Who would think you'd read about a Nintendo 64 game in the Wall Street Journal? Often, I'll read about something in the Wall Street Journal days before the television newscasters report on it. Newspaper may not be sexy in our Internet Age, but the WSJ holds its own and then some.
The publication is backed by an excellent customer service operation. I've never had a problem suspending service for vacations or business trips. While they do sell your mailing address to third-parties (the Economist invited me to subscribe), I haven't had a problem with telemarketers. The home delivery service is very consistent and prompt. They might miss one paper a year and it is usually due to weather.
I can't say the Wall Street Journal has made me rich with money, but it has made me rich with broad business knowledge. I actually enjoy reading the WSJ every day - who would think reading a business paper would be so agreeable?
Recommended:
Yes
Describe the newspaper's political views: It is conservative
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Epinions.com ID:
bgabel
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Location: SE Pennsylvania
Reviews written: 32
Trusted by: 87 members
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