Record job losses are a direct threat to democracy.

Friend,

The year 2020 was one of the worst the news industry has ever seen. Nearly 17,000 journalism jobs were eliminated in the first five months of the year alone, as COVID-19 shut down large segments of the economy.

But believe it or not, according to the latest data, this year could be even worse.

Online news outlets have been hit especially hard in 2023, with BuzzFeed News shutting down, Vice filing for bankruptcy, and countless others announcing major layoffs.

Here at Common Dreams, we’re feeling many of the same pressures that are affecting other news outlets, including rising costs and changes to social media algorithms that make it harder for new readers to find us. In addition, donations to progressive nonprofits are down across the board.

That’s why the Mid-Year Campaign we just launched is so critical. Please donate today! There’s never been a more difficult time for online journalism, and we simply cannot fall short of our goal.

Our ability to survive and thrive in this climate depends entirely on readers like you supporting this work. It’s that simple. We’ve never laid off a single journalist or staff member—and with your support today, we never will.