Alumnus gives brief news view

For people who do not have the time or the money to read the country's leading magazines and newspapers, University alumnus Len Sherman has the answer. Along with David Krebs -- who co-produced "Beatlemania," Sherman has created the National Times, a compilation of articles from a variety of international news and commentary sources such as the New Yorker, U.S. News & World Report, and Rolling Stone. Marketing and Sales Coordinator Susan Rungee said Wednesday that the first issue came out last month, and the magazine's national launch will be this February. She added that the National Times has a beginning circulation of 50,000 with an ultimate goal of 500,000. According to Sherman -- who graduated from the College of Arts and Sciences in 1977, the magazine does not cover breaking news, but it gives the reader a sense of the current issues in the world. "People need to understand not only what the news is, but also why they are, where they're going, and how they came to be that way,"said Sherman. A group of editors read many news sources each month for the National Times, and pick out the ones that they feel are the most interesting and pertinent to the reading public. "We try to pick out issues that will reasonate beyond today," he said, "we go for the meaning more than the moment." According to Sherman, the magazine's associate publisher, the National Times selects its monthly entries from over 200 sources. The magazine has little problems getting permission to use articles previously printed in other publications, Sherman said. "It's like free press," he said. Rungee said that the National Times provides a service for everyday people that is usually reserved for CEO's. "Heads of corporations have people to clip articles for them," she said. "This is the sort of service we're providing to other people, to inform the readers." Rungee added that sales of the magazine have so far been aimed at businesspeople and people living on college campuses. Sherman added that the National Times has sent representatives to Columbia University to sell subscriptions and to increase the magazine's readership. He said that college students in particular have been targeted because they often do not have the time to read many new publications in addition to their class assignments. Sherman also said that he hopes the magazine will provide a cross-section of the news so students can stay informed. After a career that included politics, writing and television production, Sherman said he decided to enter journalism . "I've always loved politics and I never wanted to be a journalist," Sherman said, "I thought that journalists looked in at the world from the outside." But after more writing experience, Sherman realized that "by explaining the world to people you're changing the world, not just looking in from the outside."