Where to get what news

From the hyper-wonky to the hyper-local

Feb 16, 2024

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!