Finding out about the latest news and current events is fairly easy nowadays. One can pick up the local newspaper, watch continuous news on cable television, consult the internet, or subscribe to a news- related magazine. If your preference for news falls into the latter category, then you might enjoy this publication, U.S. News & World Report. I read an occasional news magazine from time to time, and I have subscribed to a few, if a good deal comes my way. I have been a subscriber to this weekly publication for a couple of months, and I also used to read it occasionally, before I became a subscriber.

Departments:

U.S. News and World Report includes the following sections, for your reading enjoyment:

Nation and World- This is the longest section of the magazine and it can be found in the front of each issue. The cover story is usually highlighted here, along with articles relating to any important world news that has taken place in the past week.

Money and Business- If there are any significant corporate stories in the past week (like bankruptcy, massive layoffs, etc.), you will find them in this area. You will also find stories relating to finance, although these stories tend to lean toward the large- scale end of things, rather than the personal level.

Health and Medicine- This department is dedicated to health- related issues like disease prevention, technological breakthroughs in medicine, legal issues with health care, etc.

Special Sections- These vary from one issue to the next. U.S. News might feature articles on education one week, science and technology the next week, and the internet the following week.

Other Monthly Features:

There are a few other standard columns and sections that you will find in most all issues of U.S. News & World Report. Some of these include "Washington Whispers" (political happenings), "People", "Letters" (to the editor), and "Top of the Week" (short, 1 to 3 paragraph articles about regional events and other important concerns). There are also a few weekly columns by some of the U.S. News staff, like Gloria Borger, Mortimer Zuckerman, and others.

Pricing:

U.S. News carries a cover price of $3.95, which is high for such a short magazine. If you decide that you really enjoy this publication, then you should consider signing up for a subscription. Prices vary from one place to the next, but it's common to find subscription offers for only 67 cents per issue, or $34.97 per year.

Final Thoughts:

News magazines are a decent source of information, and I sometimes will grab a copy or two when I'm in a waiting room, to see what important occurrances have taken place in the past week or so.

I don't rank news magazines at the top of my list of favorite magazines, but I will subscribe if the offer is right. That's exactly what inspired me to sign up for home delivery of this magazine. I received an offer in the mail for a six- month subscription at a reduced price of only $13.00, making the per- issue cost only 50 cents. With a price that low, I felt like I had to subscribe, at least this one time, to see if the magazine had any significant value.

From my experience with U.S. News, I can say that it contains almost an equal number of hits and misses. Let's start with the basics. First of all, this is a short magazine, usually containing between 60 and 80 pages. And because it's so short, the magazine is bound together with staples, making it easy to tear and fall apart. Advertisements can be found on about 40 percent of the pages.

As far as the content goes, I think that some of the monthly articles are fairly good, like those contained in the "Nation and the World" section. But others are lacking, especially the articles in the "Money & Business" department. The articles here are short and they usually stick to the corporate side of things, with very little emphasis on personal finance.

Another thing that stands out like a sore thumb is the magazine's conservative leanings. This is great, if your thinking leans in that direction. But if you are of the liberal persuasion, and prefer the Democratic Party to the Republican Party, then you might get very frustrated with this magazine.

U.S. News & World Report publishes occasional special issues, and these are probably my favorites of the year. I particularly enjoy the annual "Best Colleges and Universities" issue, and some of the other annnual "special" issues are very helpful and informative.

One other thing about U.S. News that stands out is the fact that it tends to stick primarily to the news, which can be both good and bad. Other news magazines stray from time to time, with articles on art, movies, etc. But U.S. News devotes almost all of its pages to the news, and most of the stories are negative, because that's what grabs the attention of readers. If you like your news to be mixed up with an assortment of other types of articles, then you will not like this magazine.

My bottom line on U.S. News & World Report is that it is a decent magazine; inexpensive and easy to read with a mixture of good and mediocre writers. I rank it just about equal in quality to Newsweek. But, I admit, news magazines are not among my favorites. They can help to keep you informed, but there are so many other ways to get the news, they seem to be turning a little obselete.

U.S. News & World Report will satisfy most readers, especially the conservative types. But others will not find it that enjoyable. Read a copy during your next visit to the dentist's office, and see what you think.

Recommended: Yes