A Sign Of The Times (The Times)

Member Name: theworker

Product:	The Times
Date:	27/06/08 (128 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Provoking, Analytical, Demanding

Disadvantages: A lot to digest in one sitting

Now then, I want to be honest with you. I am not that intelligent. I am not the brightest star in the intellectual galaxy. I am not an all knowing beaming beacon of all intelligence; in fact my mathematical skills are so rudimentary I could sit there and just break down in tears when faced with any sort of number orientated problem or equation. If this is so then why on earth do I read The Times?


Contrary to popular belief, The Times isn't the most taxing and difficult papers to grasp. Granted, it is exceptionally well written, and you do often find yourself in awe at the extent of the vocabulary of certain commentators within the paper. Some analysis does read like stereo instructions but not unlike reading basic French, you will start to get the point of a certain article - and it fills you with a sense of achievement when you finally do start to decipher, what can only be described as Shakespearean tongue, in some circumstances into a perfectly reasonable argument.


Value for money is paramount with this publication, and it has to be. At 70p per print, it is over twice the price of certain tabloids - so in effect you do expect more for your money. I am pleased to report that you get it. Extensive political analysis is the benchmark for the paper; scathing, damning, praising and even evangelising are common place amongst such highly qualified journalists. The paper boasts numerous award winning writers such as Martin Samuel, the irreverent Sports Writer of the Year, who will not only describe last night's Euro 2008 semi-final in exceptionally fine detail, but will also give you an articulate break down of the impact of the score line upon the global economy for the next seven years. Ben Schott's political summaries should be making or breaking governments for years to come - on Tuesday he vilified Gordon Brown to such an extent, you have to wonder how the Prime Minister can keep going...


So what else is there in the paper? Well, the Daily Register is always interesting, it offers you wonderfully useless snippets of information for you to digest over a coffee - Wednesday's edition featured Top ten Most Expensive Rare Book Sales, Happy Birthday to George Michael, Professor Sir Arnold Wolfendale and Lord Ravensdale nestled into a paragraph right next to a suggestion on eating Courgette Flowers, brilliant.


Incorporated into the paper is Times2 focusing on Life, Style and the Arts. It's not as pompous or as pretentious as it sounds. Fashions, Reader Offers and a few cultured reports are thrown into the mix. It is a nice break from the heavy and rich political tradition of the newspaper to offer such features as idyllic holiday retreats, good food, and music reviews. It compliments the paper well, with the heavier information at the front, and relaxing features at the back; much like a gradual unwinding after a hard day at work.


A lot of comment available within the paper is then opened for debate on the website: www.timesonline.co.uk which also has duplicated articles appearing within the paper, together with a healthy mix of open forums from the general public. This bodes well as it creates a online forum for the readers to get under the skin of a topic, offering the virtues of a good old fashioned debate.


But who is the paper targeted to? Once upon a time the paper was firmly aligned to the political right, with a dominant level of support for the conservatives. However over recent years it has become a little more liberal, particularly since the launch of the compact version in 2004. Expect to find more features on "Green Issues" and a similar level of criticism for both the Labour Government and Tory opposition. Personally, I am of the opinion that both parties are become more cohesive and streamlined in their current view - perhaps a sign that The Times and the Guardian are keen to reflect to attract a higher readership?


In Summary, The Times is an excellent read. Steeped in History, but with a new and modern eclectic mix of modern life and interests it features thorough and thought provoking journalism and comment for a very reasonable price. I cannot guarantee that reading it will catapult you into the Stephen Hawking realms of intellect, but it will definitely give you something to think about.

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Summary: A riveting read.