Where to get what news
From the hyper-wonky to the hyper-local
You’re ready to read even more about NYC politics and want up-to-date news? Sweet. Here’s some suggestions below, with my take on what each one is best for. And a version that’s a google sheet, in case you want to sort or filter.
From most to least wonky:
City & State
Paywall? No.
Do they have a podcast? No, but they do have more than just articles. They also have events, video series, a magazine, and daily and weekly options for newsletters
Wonkiness Rating: Hyper Wonky
Geography: State and City
Best for: News about state-level and city-level politics, policy, and goss. It’s wonky and comprehensive. Easy to navigate: scroll to the bottom of the homepage and filter for the content you care about most (e.g. housing, education, technology).
New York Focus
Paywall? No.
Do they have a podcast? No.
Wonkiness Rating: Hyper Wonky
Geography: State
Best for: Very deep dives, more investigative journalism. Some city-level stuff, but mostly state-level. I recently took their Who Knows Who Runs New York? Quiz and I got so many questions wrong that I got depressed and closed the page without finishing.
Politico New York
Paywall? No.
Do they have a podcast? No.
Wonkiness Rating: Hyper Wonky
Geography: State and City
Best for: News about state-level and city-level politics, policy, but not as prolific or comprehensive as City & State. Definitely not the same volume or depth of reporting as Politico for national politics.
The City
Paywall? No.
Do they have a podcast? Yes.
Wonkiness Rating: Super relatable, as well as in depth politics coverage
Geography: City
Best for: The City covers the 5 boroughs, and some state stuff when it’s relevant to the city. I really like their How To New York series, which has articles on everything from “How to Safely Deal With Wild Animals in NYC” to “A Guide for Flooded New Yorkers”. They also follow key topics like deliverista advocacy and have sweet data visualizations like Get to Know Your City Council District.
City Limits
Paywall? No.
Do they have a podcast? Yes
Wonkiness Rating: Super relatable, as well as in depth politics coverage
Geography: City
Best for: Writing on NYC politics, housing/homelessness, and climate change. I just subscribed to their CityVote newsletter, which says it provides news on candidates, issues, and resources for voters. Will report back if I find it useful or not.
Spectrum News NY1
Paywall? No
Do they have a podcast? Yes, multiple. And mostly focused on city politics.
Wonkiness Rating: Super relatable, as well as in depth politics coverage
Geography: City
Best for: Local news, including weather, transit and traffic, and also city politics.
Gothamist
Paywall? No.
Do they have a podcast? Yes
Wonkiness Rating: Not Wonky
Geography: City
Best for: New York City news, including politics, but also other stuff like culture, events, and food. If you just moved to NYC, this would be my rec because it has everything.
Hell Gate
Paywall? No.
Do they have a podcast? Yes
Wonkiness Rating: Not Wonky
Geography: City
Best for: Reporting on the NYPD, local fish, and local toilets. I truly loved this piece: The LaGuardia Airport Bathroom Orchids Aren’t Just Surviving—They’re Thriving. They also do some city politics and culture.
New York Times
Here’s the link to their New York Today newsletter, which is just local stuff. Not national.
Paywall? Yes.
Do they have a podcast? Yes, but not NYC-specific.
Wonkiness Rating: Not Wonky
Geography: City
Best for: New York City news, including politics, but also other local topics. Not wonky at all. Like Gothamist, but not free. Worth mentioning because anything covered in the Times is still the Times– that’s international coverage. So when the Times writes about a community board in Manhattan inviting developers to build in their backyard, our local news becomes part of the national narrative about housing.
Hyper Local News
Some other people on the internet already put together lists of hyper local news outlets, so I won’t recreate the wheel. Find one that covers your neighborhood and follow!
Excellent rundown of relevant publications for city and state news and information. My two favorites are City Limits and The City.