Alert ! *BUZZFLASH* loses it's Funding from it's Progressive Editor & Publisher on Jan.1!

[KoKo]

I was sad to see this notice up on "Buzzflash" site this morning. What is going on is that the funding for Progressive Media by big donors is drying up. Also, the "Consortium" which publishes Robert Parry and others writers has had pleas for funding up on their website the past few months saying the same thing.. The funding has dried up from large donors. What's wrong with our Progressives who have the big dollars? We have an election coming up in a year...and they cut the funding for the only liberal media we have?

Why cut off funding for the very independent media our Democrats are so desperate for when it's made such a difference? We here on DU know that the M$M has become even more closed down and biased against Democratic news in the Bush II years. What could possibly make Progressive Donors pull the plug on funding the very media that supports them? :shrug:

Anyway....if you want to read more and donate...here's the statement and link...

http://www.buzzflash.com/articles/alerts/316

--------------------

For many years, the editor and publisher – unrelated to BuzzFlash -- has had the good fortune to receive funding for working on progressive advocacy issues, but that revenue is ending as of January 1. Now, BuzzFlash must carry the full weight.

It has been one of the odd peculiarities of wealthy liberals that they invest in political candidates to the tune of millions of dollars – and organizations that "turn out the vote." This is all well and good, but the right wing has come to power on the strength of their media megaphone (and electoral chicanery.)

Unless the progressive movement begins to reassert control over the media and the framing of issues, it will continue to wage a defensive battle with the wing nuts deciding the terms of the debate.

It’s up to you to ensure the survival and even bolster the beachhead of democracy and truth that BuzzFlash has helped lead on the Internet.

-snip-

The ball is in your court.

Miracles don’t happen. The right wing is not going to disappear.

Miracles are made by men and women committed to the vision of our Constitution and a more just world.

BuzzFlash has been working 24 hours a day for 7 ½ years while also doing other important work to pay the bills of its editor and publisher’s family.

Now, we are waging everything on BuzzFlash racing ahead to outpace the corporate mainstream media, or sinking like so many progressive outlets that liberals have failed to fund because they don’t understand how hobbled our cause is without a media that can frame our issues and convey our narrative, which is supported by the vast majority of Americans.

more..........
http://www.buzzflash.com/articles/alerts/316

[zabet]

1. It must be

part of the 'killing of the net' and
silencing the voices.
The masses are not as easy to fool
with the internet exposing the lies.

[Warpy]

2. Or it's just the drying up of donations all over the net

as more and more people are squeezed to death between inflation and falling wages.

[zabet]

3. That is true too.

Many factors are playing into this.
The government wants to control the net
in order to control the info fed to
the public.

[KoKo]

4. Well the article says that it's their Editor and Publisher who pulled the plug

and it's the Big Money Dems who should be funding that are cutting out. So, now Buzz will have to depend on the rest of us and many of us just don't have the kind of money that a Big Donor can give to sustain an operation. That's why I asked...why are the Big Dem Progressive Donors not willing to fund PROGRESSIVE MEDIA...when we are a year away from an Election? :shrug:

[gatorboy]

6. I think it has more to do with a false sense of complacency.

The sense that these sites aren't as nearly important as they once were now that a major Democratic win is possible. But it's going to hurt in the long run if these sites can't stay vocal because, as it's been stated, the right wing sites seem to have no end in funding.

[zabet]

7. Yes,

multiple factors come in to play with this.
Complacency is another one of the factors, along
with the economy effecting individual donors, the
government wanting to be the "ministry of information"
so they can control what info is available to the
average citizen, etc. etc.

[KoKo]

8. ...and maybe they are tired of the "Peasants with Pitchforks" on the net

stirring up trouble for them. All those campaigns to "call & write" your rep..have just gotten too OTT for the 'new regime' hoping to come in. Business as usual. Meet the "New Team" same as the old team. Media Regulation...Hell Yeah...let's consolidate control and give Murdoch all of it.

What else could it be?

[Cha]

17. So maybe it was

a dlc donor? Thanks so much for posting this KOKO.

Mark Karlin is a genius in my book and I'm thinking he'll think of something or some Great Karma will come back at him and buzzflash!

In the meantime, I shall donate when I can and I hope all their readers will too.

[BeachBuckeye]

41. The Right Wing is having no funding problems at all

Their media machines are rolling along with plenty of funding as usual.

[snot]

5. K & R'd. We can't count on the rich to fund efforts they don't control. nt

[lordsummerisle]

9. This is distressing news

I've been a supporter of BuzzFlash for years...I'm surprised there hasn't been more response to this thread.

[bvar22]

10. I am distressed by this.

Buzzflash was the site that lead me to DU in early 2001. :-(

[kelliebrat]

11. K & R and Donated

This is distressing at the very least. We are in election season for craps sake, and big money funding is drying up????? Whats wrong with this picture? And more importantly, how do we get the attention of these 'big money funders'? I do what I can to support progressive blogs, so I'm open for suggestions. Ideas?

[grasswire]

12. Wait ---- this is really confusing.

"For many years, the editor and publisher – unrelated to BuzzFlash -- has had the good fortune to receive funding for working on progressive advocacy issues, but that revenue is ending as of January 1. Now, BuzzFlash must carry the full weight."

So BuzzFlash's editor and publisher has Been doing some other work unrelated to BuzzFlash that has allowed him/her to also do BuzzFlash work? It isn't that people have stopped contributing to BuzzFlash, then, it is that the other unrelated work the editor was doing has been defunded. Apparently.

So this Buzzflash editor and publisher is going the same route as Josh Marshall and Markos and Atrios and so many others who finally make their living off their site, most of the content of which is written by someone else?

Is that what this means? That's cool.

[KoKo]

22. Well....I didn't read it the way you stated it....

but could see that you might read what it was to what you thought from your experience...just as I read it differently from your interpretation.

What's I've been seeing is that as the Election get's down to the Iowa/NH wire...the Progressive's Funding is drying up...and site after site is getting hit with Big Dem Funders who gave seed money and more pulling out and saying..."You are ON YOUR OWN NOW" we've cut you off!

I question the timing and the intend of the Original Funders who give up over a YEAR before a National Election. I take this as much more DIRE than you do...but I understand that "inquiring minds" can differ...but "Buzz" states their plight pretty explictily even though some is couched in not wanting to reveal the "whole truth" of it... :-(

Whatever...it remains that Progressive Internet sites are in dire trouble because their Funding is being Cut...while Ruppert Murdoch buys the Wall St. Journal...and Faux/CNN/MSNBC ramp up to ANOTHER ELECTION ...STOLEN..without Voting Reform and getting rid of the DRE's and with trashing of the Progressive Activists because maybe they are just too "Uppity."

[ShaneGR]

31. I mean honestly, lets say I was a big progressive donor, and supporting Hillary or Obama or Edwards.

Can anyone really deny many of the progressive sites rip them apart and focus too much on Kucinich. If you were a donor and you didn't support Kucinich, would you continue to fund when you might be able to spend your money better later?

[freefall]

36. I don't think you can call anyone who supports Hillary a progressive.

Just my 2 cents.

Peace,

freefall

[Gloria]

33. Mark has had his own PR business, before Buzzflash was born....

I believe it's his own firm that has lost the contract...he has been putting his own money into Buzzflash for years...including health insurance for it's several employees who fill premium orders from the office directly as well as do all the web stuff...

Disclaimer: I am a strictly volunteer columnist for Buzzflash; having been doing the Media Watch since early 2001, currently the World Media Watch and World Energy Watch. Buzzflash and DU were the first sites that made me feel connected!!

DO CONTRIBUTE IF YOU CAN!!!

[kickysnana]

13. Umm Reality to Progressives -- the economy IS about to tank.

The big players have and the medium players are moving their money out of dollar and dollar assets. They cannot solve the liquidity problem from the hedge fund/derivitives Ponzi scheme they did, liquidity is what drives the economic engine. It almost stopped on Wednesday. They stopped bond trading in England, the FED put over $37 billion dollars back into the system to keep it from stopping and propped up the stock market. A company paid $100 million dollars to get out of a contract that as of six weeks ago looked like a sure money maker.

The quote last week that sums it up from a wealthy analyst. "Gold is for optimists. I am investing in canned goods". This is not crying wolf. This is all over the financial papers.

(I donated to Buzzflash a couple weeks ago but this is why the money is drying up. It rains on the just and the unjust, don't ya know.)

So, have some cash on hand. an emergency plan if municipal services are interrupted, CANNED GOODS and hold tight to your friends and loved ones.

[KoKo]

15. Thanks for your post..Good Points you make......

Picking out your points.......



The quote last week that sums it up from a wealthy analyst. "Gold is for optimists. I am investing in canned goods". This is not crying wolf. This is all over the financial papers.

(I donated to Buzzflash a couple weeks ago but this is why the money is drying up. It rains on the just and the unjust, don't ya know.)

So, have some cash on hand. an emergency plan if municipal services are interrupted, CANNED GOODS and hold tight to your friends and loved ones.

[demodonkey]

21. Then How / Why are the Candidates raking it in these days? nt

:shrug:

[grasswire]

25. do you remember who said that quote...

...about canned goods?

[kickysnana]

27. Whoops...wading back it was not the analyst who said it but used it..

following back from the Stock Market thread of DU's Breaking News for Nov 21st. The quote is at the top of this item and links back to the anonymous OP.

http://www.rgemonitor.com/blog/roubini/228234

[grasswire]

29. thanks (eom)

[donheld]

14. This is very alarming.

We'd better beware.

[Cha]

16. This makes me so

sad and upset..it's not logical! buzzflash has been doing an Excellent job the last 7 1/2 years and now is not the time to pull the plug financially if you're donor who has big bucks to invest in our Democracy. I always try and donate to buzzflash because they're my voice, too!

[KoKo]

18. What I ask is WHY are the BIG BUCKS going to CANDIDATES instead of TAKING BACK MEDIA!

Apologize for Full Caps...in your face... But, I'm at my wit's end wondering how after 7 years of Bush and War and Sadness and Pain...that our Progressives would cut off the "ONLY VOICES of HOPE" that kept us going and caused the BLOGOSPHERE REVOLUTION would be SILENCED a YEAR before the NEXT ELECTION?

:cry: This is so OTT, I feel it's Corruption of the SYSTEM that's as IMPEACHABLE as MUCH AS THE BUSHIES!

Because...it ALL ties TOGETHER.

Again...apologize for Screaming Caps that offend most of DU who think that's a sign of a Freeper or Idiot.

I had to use it for "emphasis" ..but I can't get the Internet Protocol straight...about why folks criticize stuff like "full caps" over content. But, I understand that many might think that posts like mine violate their "principles" so much they need to think that the poster is "ignorant" and that the "content" is not as important as the "Internet Violation" of their sensibilities. But to those Purists I'd say...HEY ...give some slack to the folks who are WITH YOU in SPIRIT...and the rest are TROLLS and Evil Ones... :D

[Cha]

19. TOTALLY!!

It's all about TAKING BACK THE MEDIA! Candidates can end up sucking but we need the media to be factual!! And that's a fact.

Your little icon who's crying is exactly how I felt when I read your OP..it just seemed to much to bear right now. And, now I know why..because it is The Media that's the Ultimate Importance!

[KoKo]

20. thanks, Zidzi....it's so hard to realize that after 7 years of work...it could come down to this

with Buzzflash and other sites losing funding more than a year before we Dems are supposed to be TAKING BACK THE PRESIDENCY!

What the hell did we WORK for ...in many cases many of us giving money we could barely spare...our time and foot work...our lives trying to build the Liberal Blogosphere as an Alternative to Corporate Whore Media...that we all would be TRASHED and THROWN OUT...by our Progressives who DO HAVE BIG BUCKS ...but unlike the Conservative Funders like "Mellon-Scaife"..Murdoch" and the big funders of a few of our leading Dem Candidates it seems it's the struggling "Progressive Media" the puny "Air America" and blogs that give voice to writers that the CORPORATE M$M (GE/DISNEY/VIACOM/AOL.TIME WARNER/Faux/Murdoch..etc.) that get TRASHED by Progressive Funders a Year BEFORE AN ELECTION while the said M$M (whore Media) just keep grabbing up more and more power with our own Progressives standing aside and by doing that...becoming COMPLICIT!

It's dreadful ...and we should be very angry about this!!!! WE SHOULD BE VERY ANGRY!

[Cha]

23. We won't let

it happen..we'll keep them in our Orbit!

[spag68]

34. Scaife

Here is some good news, this Scaife guy has troubles of his own. Being from the Pgh. area I keep track of what is going on there, and he is in a divorce fight over a big chunk of his money. At risk is his control of a newspaper located in Greensburgh near Pgh. and it is bitter. I can't give links as I'm not up on how to do that, but it has been in the Pgh Post Gazette and other publications. Rupert is in a fight in Georgia over a newspaper there, and could lose a bundle. Hopefully the senility will set in before he can do more damage. The aussies and the poles have elected more progressive govts. What I want to know is, where is Mr. Gore and his big money? I've been a Gore supporter for years, but what's up with him? His wife bought 2 tee-shirts!!! Where are all the hollywood libs., and for that matter all the east coast libs? Are they afraid that they will lose out on their investments? I'm retired and in the same shape most of you are, but it doe's seem kind of funny to me that the candidates have millions and yet are not smart enough to see the need for progressive media, of am I just stupid. Anyway IMHO the stuff about canned goods is just more of the same fear shit as the terror, but a new way to make us afraid. If it gets that bad the richest will suffer the most, as they have never had to deal with not having stuff before. The real americans like our parents and grandparents were made of sterner stuff and we like them will make it. I knew something was wrong when Bob D. sold adds for caddy's.

[Gloria]

35. Thanks, KoKo01 for picking up on this... I posted a few days ago but

it got lost....

Disclaimer: I do things for Buzzflash (see my signature) on a strictly volunteer basis...please donate! It's been my honor to have been useful to Buzzflash since 2001!

[bdamomma]

24. oh, this is terrible news, Buzzflash is one of my morning rituals.

can we DU'ers stop this from happening.

[truedelphi]

26. Thank you for this posting. n/t

[kelliebrat]

28. Kick

:kick:
This needs to be kept out there

[bonito]

30. Let's ebay items

I for one have no means for conveying cash, but have many items I would donate for a cause via this INTERNET?

[illinoisprogressive]

32. twofold problem. donating to campaigns and people don't have money anymore

[Joanne98]

37. I think the liberal websites may have to diversify!!!! I have a few suggestions!

Study what other groups do. Think auctions! People have a hard time giving up cash right now and it's going to get worse in 2008! But people will donate items to be auctioned off. People will buy the items because they can either use them or give them away as birthday or Xmas presents. People can also donate services. We have professional people. Lawyers, doctors, computer geeks, I had a DU vet offer to look at my dogs xrays over the internet when he had a leg problem.

How about a bingo game? You would have to look into the legal issues but it's kept the Catholic Church alive for decades. Raffles anyone! That's what AA does to raise money!

I just hope that someone comes up with more creative ways to raise funds because advertising with ruin the internet, just like it's ruined TV and the radio!

Remember, people are competitive. They like to win. It's doesn't matter what. It's the winning that they crave!

[Fading Captain]

38. Buzzflash Question

I stopped using Buzzflash two years ago, or so, when I tired of the way they started using words like Repuke in the headlines. Seemed a little juvenile.

But my question is this: Does Buzzflash do any real journalism? I don't remember it.
Seemed like it was a "Drudgereport" for the left linkfest.

If so, why in the world would they need $150,000?

[Gloria]

40. To Echos Myron: Yes, indeed, they do their own journalism...

The have had many interviews with political figures and activists; Mark Karlin has provided analysis via interviews on radio shows in the not too distant past (I'm thinking it was Tom Hartmann) as well as many strong editorial comments on its pages. In addition, a good number of well-known progressive writers provide original essays.

They run several websites and have skeleton staff that they need to support. This includes healthcare, which for a very small business is very pricey.

Again, Mark has run his own PR business before Buzzflash which has served progressive advocacy groups and he has also put his own money into the site. The outside money has dried up completey as of January 1. So, Buzzflash is trying to stay alive and support the founder's family and the VERY small staff on a self-sustaining basis. THEY DO NOT TAKE ADVERTISING, which makes them a unique progressive web site (actually, rather unique, in my opinion, among websites).

[BeachBuckeye]

39. Sadly, this started to happen a while ago

The candidates and "get out the vote" organizations have been sucking the oxygen out of the room so to speak.

Funding for Liberal, Progressive media has been drying up at an alarming rate. Our show has been in financial crisis for quite a while now along with that of some important progressive organizations that have done significant good for the cause. I can think of two important groups (I won't name them here ) who hold important conferences each year to educate many thousands of activists on how to promote the important issues of the day for Progressives who are drastically cutting back their expenditures this coming year because of loss of funding. These folks usually invite Liberal, Progressive broadcasters to their conferences for a "Radio Row" which promotes the organization's message to the masses. I've been advised that expenditures for "Radio Row" will be significantly reduced this coming year which means many independent broadcasters and netcasters like myself who do not have an adequate budget for our shows will not be able to attend, thus, reducing the number of listeners who be able to hear the messages of these vital organizations. What a shame.

Once again, the Right wins the battle because the powers that be on the Left just won't take media issues seriously. Frankly, I've yet to speak to any Democrat in a position of authority who doesn't think we can do without Liberal media.

Please do what you can to help Buzzflash and ALL Liberal, Progressive, Democratic media to survive at this historically important time.