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Everyone loves web video, but all too often it's used for entertainment instead of enlightenment. I previously highlighted sites with free lectures from top US colleges, and that's a great way to stretch your mind. But it's also worthwhile to keep up with the news.
With that in mind I thought I'd highlight a few decent sources for finding TV news on the Internet so you can watch news online. All of these sites feature the latest headlines, as well as access to in-depth feature stories. And, like everything featured here at MakeUseOf, access to all these sites is completely free.
1Cast
This is as good a place to start as any for resources to watch news online, even if I wasn't organizing everything alphabetically. 1Cast is a video service that, with permission from broadcasters, pulls the top stories of the day from a number of different sources. It tends to be heavy on business news, and currently only works in the United States of America, but it's a decent model for the future of video news on the Internet.
Read more about 1Cast in my article 1Cast Easy Access to World News Headlines, which also mentions that the service can be accessed via a Boxee app.
Al Jazeera English
If you're looking for English news from a non-Western perspective it doesn't get better than Al Jazeera. Know in America primarily as "that terrorist network," Al Jazeera is arguably the strongest democratic force in the Middle East. It's also surprisingly generous with its video content online. Not only will you find some decent podcasts, but their straight-forward, clean video page is a great way to watch news online and catch up with happenings around the world.
Heck, you can even watch Al-Jazerra's broadcast live online. No other major network is offering that legally, so far as I know (correct me if I'm wrong), so this is certainly a nice perk.
BBC World News
It's hard to match the global reach of the BBC, so it's only natural that their content be easy to find on the global Internet. And it is. the BBC News video page provides a quick way to catch the latest global headlines and the opportunity to find out more about recent stories. There are also more podcasts than you can shake a stick at.
MakeUseOf staff writer Saikat's childhood in India left him with a deep love for the BBC. Read more about the BBC's online offerings in his article .
CBC News
I grew up in Canada, meaning my nostalgia lies with the CBC instead of the BBC. There's a lot of good video to be found at the CBC's website, but expect a heavily Canadian perspective. Notable highlights include nightly news broadcast The National and the extensive CBC video page. If you live in Canada you can even catch hockey games live under the right circumstances (something I, living in Colorado, wish extended worldwide).
CBS: 60 Minutes
Forgot this show existed? You're not alone. That doesn't mean it's not great, though, and with the web you can watch it on your own time.
60 Minutes was once the American news broadcast, broadcast on Sunday nights and typically made up of four 15 minute segments that covered a wide variety of topics. Today you catch 60 Minutes online whenever you want, and you'll even find it on Boxee. This show's worth watching, even if you forgot about it.
Fox News
If you're an American and you find all this talk of international sources of news...unpatriotic...then I guess what you're looking for is Fox News. They do have a few podcasts, though they tend to be less generous than other sites highlighted here. They've also got a video page that highlights current news (with copious advertisements).
Viewers from outside America will find the content skewed at best. Expect to see the words "Fair and Balanced" in front of an American flag with no trace of irony.
MSNBC
Fox News' liberal twin, MSNBC, is also in on the web video game. They have a generous collection of podcasts, most of which give you access to a complete show. Highlights here include Meet The Press, a famous Sunday interview show. You'll also find a top stories video page, a great place to start finding out.
Again, international viewers be warned: similar to Fox, MSNBC exists in a world where America is at the centre. Different ideology, but mostly the same.
Conclusion
There you have it: 7 websites for watching the news online. I'm sure there are a number of good sites that I missed, but I just wanted to skim the surface to start.
If you would prefer a desktop solution for watching the news, check out Mark's two articles on Livestation here and here.
Can you think of any great sites for watching news online? Please share them below; you just might be mentioned in a follow-up article to this one. Also please feel free to discuss the vices and virtues of the sources mentioned, but avoid calling me a liberal/conservative/communist/libertarian because I'll just ignore it.