The press in the United States produces a wide variety of printed media, possible more than in any other country. There is a publication for almost every subject, from national news to more specialized subjects like industries, sports and even hobbies. Some of the most important publications are the national newspapers because of their broad coverage and wide circulation. The press's role in circulating daily news is very important to the everyday lives of the people, but it plays another, perhaps more important role as well. As in many other democratic countries, the press is the watchdog of the American political process.

The most important publications are the daily newspapers, a few of which have very high status. The most prominent among these is probably the Washington Post. Because the Post is published out of Washington, D.C., the nation's capital, it probably has the very best coverage of the national-level political scene.

On the business side, the most important publication is probably the Wall Street Journal, published in New York, America's business capital. The Journal, with its very strong business orientation, is a very conservative paper but it is careful not to take side politically.

But there are many other publications with very strong political orientations. Two examples of this are the two most widely circulated news weeklies, Newsweek and Time. Although these are both weekly news magazines reporting on a wide range of subjects, political, cultural and business, they are on opposite political sides. Time is a more liberal publication, generally supporting the Democratic Party, while Newsweek is conservatively oriented, supporting the Republicans.