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When an
independent newsroom shuts down, it leaves
behind a massive hole. Despite the fact that
there are more voices and perspectives than
ever, the biggest megaphones are available only
to the wealthy and powerful.
The swell of
media monopolies continues to crowd out
publications that don’t fit the corporate media
model. When these publications close, it takes
years for replacements to fill their
absence.
Worse yet, some publications
simply aren’t replaceable.
I’m so
grateful to our members who power our reporting
with donations to the Green Journalism Fund.
With each new member, our community grows
stronger. Your gift today will make a difference
for independent media:
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Axios reports
that more than 3,000 journalism jobs were cut
between January and October. To make things
worse, in just the last few weeks, the news
industry was rocked by sweeping layoffs.
- Newspaper
giant Gannett cut another 6 percent of its
workforce, the second round of layoffs this
year.
- The
Washington Post shuttered its weekly Sunday
magazine, leaving a roster of seasoned,
award-winning journalists jobless.
- Politico
plans to wind down Protocol, the tech news
website launched just two years ago.
Sadly, the list doesn't stop there.
Outside Magazine. CNN. Morning Brew. In
fact, 2022 was the worst year for media jobs
since 2008.
The quest for massive scale
has distorted how the media works, and
consolidated power and resources into a handful
of big corporate media giants. Independent
publications are left with broken business
models and make do by scraping together crumbs.
On top of that, Big Tech
algorithms distort the incentives for producing
quality journalism. Instead of shared facts,
community discourse, and an informed populace,
big social media companies often reward peddlers
of snazzy sound bites, disinformation, and
propaganda campaigns.
It’s no wonder
so many people distrust the media these
days.
Earth Island
Journal is a nonprofit, so our mission is
different from that of mainstream corporate
media, with its unceasing need to satisfy
investors.
Our unique brand of
environmental journalism fills in the gaps of
traditional reporting. We amplify voices and
perspectives that strengthen communities,
especially communities that don’t have access to
corporate media. We can say things that
corporate media won’t say, because we aren’t
beholden to shareholders.
We are
accountable to you.
When
you read Earth Island Journal, either
online, in the print magazine, or in our
newsletter, you are connecting directly with us.
We work hard to bring you stories from around
the globe that inspire you, inform you, make you
laugh or maybe even cry.
Now more
than ever, we need independent publications like
Earth Island Journal that provide
balance to the media landscape. I hope we can
count on you.
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With
your help, we can reshape the media landscape.
Won’t you join us today?
Thank you for
reading, we appreciate your continued
support.
Maureen Nandini
Mitra
Editor, Earth
Island Journal
Photo: A King's Circle by Charlie
Wales | |
Prefer
to mail a
check?
Donations
by check can be made payable to Earth
Island Institute and mailed to:
2150
Allston Way, Suite 460, Berkeley, CA 94704
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Sent: Wednesday,
December 14, 2022 3:44 AM
Subject: Break Free
from the Big Tech Algorithm Machine | |
