---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: NewStandard Dispatches <NewStandard at newstandardnews.net> Date: Sep 14, 2006 8:22 AM Subject: TNS May Shut Down Sept. 30!! Ohio Voter Law Overruled
Daily Dispatch News for September 14, 2006
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EMERGENCY MEMBERSHIP APPEAL!!!
Dear Readers,
Last week, the TNS collective came to a hard realization: at our current pace, it seemed highly unlikely that we would meet our 2006 fundraising goals before our bank account runs empty in December. So we're attempting one last, massive appeal to our readers – and anyone who believes in truly independent media – to save The NewStandard before we shut it down at the end of this month.
We've developed an ambitious plan to improve the website, but we realized we could not make those changes – or even continue publishing as we are now – until many more of our readers are willing to support us financially. As it stands, we're barely eking out enough to pay our bills and small salaries, and by the end of November, our bank account will be empty.
Many of you had to have seen our prominent last two membership drives, during which we proudly highlighted our publishing achievements and reminded you how we go beyond the corporate media each and every day.
But after all of that extra work to convince you why TNS is worth your financial support, only two readers joined as donating Premium Members. If you're shocked by that low response, imagine how we felt.
Despite this disappointing lack of support, we still don't want to give up. We're prepared to dig in and put in the long hours to make TNS the first destination in your daily news-reading, while still maintaining our commitment to hard-hitting, uncompromised reporting.
But we need you to meet us half way. We need to know that you think TNS is worth saving.
As of now, we plan to shutter the TNS website on Monday, September 25. We will then devote all of our time and resources to fundraising. But on September 30, unless readers pledge the support we need to keep going, we will shut down The NewStandard altogether.
We need readers to pledge an additional $5,000 in monthly donations to continue to scrape by. If our readers can add $5,000 to our monthly revenue stream, a wealthy anonymous donor will match $3,500 per month, and TNS will have the budget we need to keep publishing and implement all the fantastic changes we have planned.
So it's up to you. Either you're telling us to pack up and go home, or you're telling us we're important enough to keep around.
We are only asking you to pledge what you can. We will not charge your card unless we reach our objective. If we fail, you lose nothing – except, that is, the most principled news outlet on the Internet.
We'd also like to extend a big thank you to our current donors who have stuck by us and supported us for the past three years. If you're a current donor and feeling helpless about TNS's future, you can help in multiple ways. You can pledge to increase your monthly donations. You can ask your family and friends to support us. And you can encourage other readers to donate using our supporter message board.
In Solidarity (we hope),
The PeoplesNetworks Collective
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