The fundraiser for The Public Press and Newsdesk.org was truly a teamwork effort, and that came across loud and clear for the new people who crossed the transom into the unknown world of journalism entrepreneurialism Thursday night. I heard a few stories of people who had spent their whole journalism careers plugging away at their jobs, until they were suddenly thrust into free agency by The Man. The companies that own traditional media are now, unwittingly, creating legions of energetic potential competitors.
And here’s one e-mail that I got yesterday from a nonjournalist supporter in our midst:
My boss and I were at your fund raiser last night. The best way to express my feelings is to duplicate here the text messages [she] and I exchanged during your speech: Me: "This guy is talking to my inner voice." [Boss]: "What is he telling you?" Me: "To give him my money for democracy." … I’ve never been to a fancy fund raiser like that before. I didn’t think I was going to donate, since I’m poor and cheap and generally averse to participating. I ended up writing you guys a check after all. First donation of my two-decade life, and I think it was an awesome choice."
(As per her request, I will also be posting my comments, and those of Josh Wilson of Newsdesk.org and Marc Smolowitz, the evening’s animated M.C.)
If that’s the kind of response we get to this germ of an idea, then maybe it’s not such a stretch to say that there’s a market out there for trustworthy journalism, the assumption I’ve been going on thus far.
I want to thank the Public Press team members for sticking with this project, far enough to be able to say we’re starting to bootstrap into something real. This event was the best thing we could have done to cap a year of planning work. There’s a lot more we need to do. I’ll be working on some of those updates this weekend. Including but not limited to: technology planning, business planning, editorial planning, volunteer coordination.
Speaking of which, there’s a volunteer recruitment meeting on Monday, Dec. 15, at 6:30 at the office: 300 Broadway @ Sansome, Suite 25, San Francisco. Call (415) 677-9877 to get in.
FUNDRAISING NOTE: We’re still tallying the checks for the 2008 end-of-year campaign, so if you still want to contribute, the easiest way to do so is to donate online through Groundspring.org. https://secure.groundspring.org/dn/index.php?id=695
And thanks!
— Michael Stoll
Project Director
The Public Press
mstoll [AT] public-press [DOT] org
(415) 846-3983
