Maybe weird feedback but the COVID-19 Pandemic section on the front page really kills both the retro vibe and the idea that this might be something unique rather than yet another way for me to consume standard news.
I had-interestingly-the exact opposite response. It kept the waves of nostalgia in check by delivering a mild dose of modernity to the experience that was subtle enough and works so well with the rest of the presentation that I actually caught myself smiling and nodding at it.
I think maybe I'd have had the same type of reaction to you with a lighter modern news piece. The pandemic or politics are both right out, but a clearly-new entertainment piece would maybe elicit the same response from me that you've described here.