Dear
friend of the Journal,
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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Even in just the last few years, several important voices evaporated from the media landscape.
- In 2019, Pacific Standard closed after losing its primary financial backer.
- In April of this year, The Counter, which investigated systemic inequality in the American food system, shuttered abruptly.
- Bitch Magazine, a fixture of feminist perspective since the 1990s, announced its last issue will publish in June 2022.
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.
Regards,
Maureen Nandini Mitra
Editor, Earth Island Journal
Photo by Charlie Wales
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P.S. Need a break from screens? You can get 4 issues of our award-winning magazine delivered by clicking this secure link: https://donate.earthisland.org/page/20964/donate/1?ea.tracking.id=EIJnews
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