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Earlier today we reached the milestone of $350,000 in the TPM Journalism Fund project.
You might wonder how we think about this kind of thing internally. How do we talk about the fact that so many people are willing to contribute (generally) more than their membership fees to a small journalism outfit that is doing what it can not only to survive, but to thrive in uncertain and unprecedented times?
Well, it’s very simple: It’s 350,000 votes of confidence in our work. It is 350,000 votes of confidence in our reports, our analysis and our commentary. That’s 350,000 votes of confidence in our business model, which has kept us going even while countless other publications have, in recent years, failed or made significant cuts. It is 350,000 votes of confidence in our belief that journalism cannot be hierarchical, so publications must offer free membership to those who need it. In short, it’s 350,000 votes of confidence in us.
Look, let me be clear: We know that not everyone can contribute more than the membership fees. We are thankful and appreciative of all the members we have, regardless of whether you have ever contributed to the Journalism Fund. Subscriptions are the engine that supports TPM. We thank you. Period.
One of the guiding principles of TPM is preparation in the face of unexpected change. Change in the news environment or change in the business climate. We don’t always know what the changes will be or how they will affect us, but we know they are coming. They still do. That’s why this year’s Journalism Fund theme is “helping prepare for what comes next.”
If you haven’t contributed yet, but can, please consider doing so. Revenue helps us grow and expand our journalism. It will help us distribute that journalism to more people. And, just as importantly, it’s a little boost of confidence that all the work we put in day in and day out is making a difference in people’s lives. Because the difference between an organization like TPM and many other companies that claim to do journalism is that we care more than our profit – we care about our impact on the world, and especially our impact on those who help us to do what we like to do. .
One last thing: Last year, more than 5,000 people contributed. I am absolutely positive that if we hit that marker again, we will hit $500,000. Any amount you can contribute, no matter how small, makes a difference.