Newsflash: There’s an Easier Way to Read the News

Checking your phone first thing in the morning is a staple for so many of us.

We take our time scrolling through Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, and Twitter (the fun apps) just to avoid finally dealing with emails. But now, we can actually look forward to opening our inboxes thanks to The Skimm.

The Skimm is a daily email newsletter that takes the news and delivers it in a fresh, engaging way. They condense the headlines into snappy sections and present current events in a sassy tone that makes fluctuating gas prices almost as interesting as Kanye’s bid for president. It’s basically like having a super smart best friend read the news for you and then email you all the good parts.

What’s awesome about The Skimm is it was created by kickass lady duo Carly Zakin and Danielle Weisberg in order to help their busy female friends stay on top of the news.

According to this article in Elle, Zakin explained that her friends, “weren’t really connecting with a news source out there that they felt really spoke to them, or that fit into their daily routine.” Zakin and Weisberg went on to say, “We started thinking about who these friends are, and what they represent. They’re on track to outpace men in paychecks and in degrees; they’re highly influential, and they didn’t really have a news source that they loved coming back to everyday. So, we decided to just try something different.”

Here’s a quick sample from a recent Skimm to show just how different it really is:

Earlier this summer, the Supremes ruled that same-sex marriage is a constitutional right in all 50 states. Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis – and lots of other people – were not interested in tasting the rainbow. Since the decision, Davis has refused to issue any marriage licenses (same-sex or straight) because she says same-sex marriage goes against her religion. Spoiler alert: she got sued.

The Skimm is entertaining, informative, and short enough to read on your walk to class. Even Oprah uses it. While some may criticize the publication for oversimplifying things, being able to deliver the news in such a digestible way is huge, especially when it empowers young women to get more informed.  

Women are more than capable of reading the news, but plodding through the paper every morning is a task that most of us just don’t have the time or energy for. Besides paying for a subscription, you have to dig through pages and pages of content. Meanwhile, The Skimm is free and it comes in the form of an email, so you get notified to read it every morning.

Furthermore, a typical Skimm email runs around 800 words total, while the average word count of just one New York Times article is 1,200 words. If you are still set on reading the “real” news, The Skimm is a great way to know where to start. In fact they include numerous links within each publication that will lead you to further information if you want to learn more.  

It’s time to make your life simpler. Pull out your smartphone and start Skimming.