April 13, 2009

Lessons in the Media Landscape

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What does it mean that Matt Yglesias, a 20-something blogger, has a more astute take on political messaging and the leveraging of political power than David Broder, a man in his 70s who was considered for many years to be the dean of the Washington press corps? Two quick lessons: (1) Age and experience aren’t everything, apparently. (2) Trying to shoehorn every new development into a worldview you’re exceedingly well known for, as Broder is, will inevitably lead you to say some silly and misguided things from time to time.

Your conclusions, of course, may vary.

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DECEMBER IS MAKE OR BREAK

A full one-third of our annual fundraising comes in this month alone. That’s risky, because a strong December means our newsroom is on the beat and reporting at full strength—but a weak one means budget cuts and hard choices ahead.

With only days left until December 31, we've raised about half of our $400,000 goal—but we need a huge surge in reader support to close the remaining gap. Whether you've given before or this is your first time, your contribution right now matters.

Managing an independent, nonprofit newsroom is staggeringly hard. There’s no cushion in our budget—no backup revenue, no corporate safety net. We can’t afford to fall short, and we can’t rely on corporations or deep-pocketed interests to fund the fierce, investigative journalism Mother Jones exists to do. That’s why we need you right now. Please chip in to help close the gap.

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