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Before I became a Truthout intern, I got most of my news from mainstream newspapers and websites. You know, the same groups that originally promoted the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, that refused to use the word “torture,” that shirked veterans in their time of greatest need. While I was certainly wise enough to see beyond the cheerleading and deception, I did not know where else to turn. After all, these outlets, I thought, are the titans of media.
But when I came on board with Truthout, everything changed. And that’s because, in part, Truthout never did of any of those things, unlike the titans of (corporate) media. We exposed stories on the plight of soldiers and veterans. We challenged the prevailing logic about the war. We fought the notion that dissent is unpatriotic.
And that’s because we receive no corporate funding.
That’s why Truthout needs you to give today. By giving, you’re guaranteeing that one of the most dynamic media outlets available to the public stays alive and kicking. In recent months, we’ve forced the CEO of a major pipeline company to resign, exposed religious bias in the Army and called on House Democrats to vote against a war supplemental bill, to which in response, almost 130 did.
Our little news group has also developed educational opportunities for young budding journalists like me, expanded our original content offerings and landed sought-after shared content agreements with pioneers of the news trade – all while maintaining a staff who live and work across the country.
Look, it’s not easy being a nonprofit. I’ve worked for plenty. That is why I am personally asking you to give what you can during this fundraising drive, so you can keep Truthout independent of the corporations that have otherwise overtaken our lives.
Important Message: Please Read
For 25 years, Truthout has survived by publishing impactful investigative journalism and analysis; distributing full editions 365 days a year; and building a community of readers who support us with small, hard-earned donations.
Eighty percent of our $3 million yearly budget comes from small donors alone. Of those, 8,000 readers support us with monthly donations. Back in 2018, when Facebook decided to suppress the circulation of posts made by organizations, thereby cutting readers off from seeing many articles shared by the news organizations they had intentionally decided to follow, Truthout’s total traffic declined by 40 percent, as nearly all of our traffic from that platform disappeared.
As Google plans to roll out its new AI search bar, providing shoddy AI summaries instead of directing readers to our site, the consequences promise to be even more explosive. Google Search is our single largest source of traffic; it’s the route by which 27 percent of our readers find us. If even half of that 27 percent disappears, it will have a devastating impact on our journalism.
The entire journalism ecosystem will shoulder this blow, particularly independent publishers and news sites that depend on traffic and aren’t bankrolled by large corporations. If you can support Truthout with a donation today, you can help us resist the inevitability of Big Tech’s AI takeover. Please give today.