Advice from Alberto Ibarguen, publisher, The Miami Herald

When you're short on time, remember that news stories are typically structured so that "who, what, when, where, and how" go at the top. Read the first two paragraphs. If you've gotten enough, move on. The front page, above the fold, has the most important news of the day; the closer a story is to the top of the page or the bigger its headline, the more important it is. Headlines, information boxes, and summaries will give you the flavor of the story. Great photography itself tells a story, and the caption should give details to ground the photo. If you're not familiar with a particular newspaper, look for the index and a summary. That will point you to the sections of most interest to you and make your read more efficient. U.S. papers usually take a neutral stance, politically, except in the editorials. When reading a European paper, keep in mind that the news will generally be slanted toward the left, center, or right.