For most of my adult life I have read the WSJ almost every day. Early this year each time I read it, I started asking myself, "Was I truly and usefully informed, or was I merely entertained?" I am now in my third week after cancelling the subscription. I do miss the entertainment.
I used to read Barron's every weekend for years. Dropped my subscription recently. It's the same bullshit every week- Alan Ableson with his supposedly "witty" nonsense and perpetual bearishness, and the rest of the rag just random stock picks and interviews with money managers (most of whom can't beat the S&P). I don't miss reading it at all.
I like the economist. It gives you a good forest view of things. And I even got 2 good trade ideas from them (they were ahead of the entire market).
Bloomberg Business Week has become my WSJ replacement. For current hard business news, there's always the internet.
Agreed on Barron's. Stopped years ago even reading it for free in the libes. Another thing not missed is egregious product placement in financial rags. Might as well be TV or movies.
Maybe is better in your part of the world. The US edition quit being hard hitting a couple of years ago for me and become more heavily US slanted. Whereas before I enjoyed its more global view. The last thing I recall being worth a shit in the WSJ as the expose many years ago of blatant fraud in subprime lending.
I use Market Watch News Viewer and ZeroHedge. And of course, for the very best, ET! When it got so that I liked the financial articles in Vanity Fair better, I knew the WSJ was doomed.
Do you think Murdoch's takeover is a factor? Or do you feel the WSJ started to slip before Murdoch got involved?