What is RSS?
“Really Simple Syndication” are used to distribute content.  These readers search news and web blog feeds that users have chosen and pull forward the latest information from them and bring them to the users desktop. 

How to use RSS Feeds
To use RSS, first you need an RSS reader. There are three different types of readers to choose from:

1. Stand-alone readers: These are programs you download to your desktop. Examples of this are FeedDemon and NetNewsWire.
2. Plug-in applications: These are programs you install which add RSS reading abilities to other programs like Microsoft Outlook. NewsGator is an example of this.
3. Web-based readers: These are Web sites that store your feeds and the content online.  The most popular of these is Bloglines.

Choosing Feeds
Once you have selected an RSS reader, you can begin selecting the feeds you would like to receive.  Most sites are marked with a small orange RSS button which allows you to easily add them to your reader, or you can just copy the URL of the feed into the reader. 

Not sure where to find the feeds you are looking for? Try searching sites like Bloglines and syndic8.com. 

Journalist Jonathan Dube recommends these feeds as a must for journalists:

• CyberJournalist.net: Headlines from a site I run about how technology is transforming journalism
• Sree's Web sites to note: Useful sites my Web Tips partner -- Sree Sreenivasan – spots
• Hot documents: Feeds from The Smoking Gun and ResourceShelf's Docuticker
• Reporting ideas/tips: Good investigative stories spotted by IRE, plus FOI tips
• Search tips: Useful links and search tips from several weblogs
• Top news: Headlines from major news sites
• Tracking online rumors: The latest urban legends making the rounds online
• What's popular: The latest from several sites tracking the most popular links around the Web, to help you generate story ideas
• Word of the Day: From Dictionary.com