Can I monitor an RSS or Atom feed?
RSS and Atom feeds are a good source type when the outlet maintains them. The feed URL must be reachable without a login and must return valid entries.
Many newspapers and agencies still publish feeds for a section (markets, energy, local news). Use the section feed rather than a full-site firehose when you can.
If the feed fails
- Open the feed URL in a browser. You should see XML, not a login page.
- If the site moved to a new domain, update the URL.
- If the feed is empty, fall back to the public section page or drop the source.
When to prefer a page instead
Some modern sites no longer maintain feeds, or the feed lags the page. If the page is public and updates, use the page. Do not keep both if they duplicate every item.