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Comment by Bhilai | Hacker News Reader

Off topic: I see a lot of interesting Economist articles posted on HN. Is it worth subscribing to?

Current offers show $94.50 for first year and then $189 from second year for digital access.

It is one of the few subscriptions to media / news sites that I really value. Apart from their Editorials section, all articles have a balanced point of view, presenting all sides of an argument. They are all well written, and manage to explain complex topics (science, economics) in a fairly accessible way. And is also a good way to keep up to date on what happens around the world as each world region is covered and articles are often a well argumented summary of any relevant topic in that area in the past week(s). Their Christmas double issue is joy to read. But you can buy the print version at your newsagent for a few weeks as a trial.

Their audio versions are very well done. The reading is clear and non monotonous. You can play back faster obviously. They are a very good magazine. They have their stance, but it is consistent. For knowledge of what's going on in the whole world, it's very good. I recommend it. Those prices sound high though.

If you're interested in international news, politics, and economics with extensive analysis, then there's no better source.

If you're interested mainly in domestic news, mainly tech/science/culture, or "just the facts" without analysis, then probably not.

Heavily disagree Le Monde Diplomatique or Voltaire Network are just infinitely better for acquiring a better macro perspective of the world, if anything Economist is just renowned for bounding the scope of debate

Wow, "infinitely" better? That's quite a strong opinion.

But I'm curious how you think they give a "better macro perspective"?

Is it in the range of stories covered, and so what kind of stuff do they cover that the Economist doesn't?

Or is it the "debate", and I'm curious what positions you don't find in the Economist? Especially since their articles are very often in dialectical format, presenting competing interpretations of events as seen from the different sides involved in an issue.

I mean it's true they're not going to apply a European democratic socialism lens to American political issues... but then they're looking at European issues through a European lens.

Turn of javascript when loading the economist website and you can read all the article with no subscription. You miss out on the audio version though, which is excellent.

When it comes to it, I would generally discourage from doing it, Le Monde Diplomatique is just heads and shoulders above the Economist on both breath of reporting as well as scope and coverage

They also have Spanish and English editions besides French

https://mondediplo.com/

Perhaps submit some articles you think HN would appreciate. So far not many have been submitted, and only one in 2013 got some conversation going: https://news.ycombinator.com/from?site=mondediplo.com

I considered an _Economist_ subscription twenty years ago, but I was put off by their endorsement of George W Bush in 2000. I now notice that they have not endorsed a single Republican for US president since then, so maybe I should give them a chance now.

$94.50 for first year and then $189 recurring? I would suggest staying away from this ridiculously unashamed rip-off at all costs.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com