If you’ve been reading the site this month, you’ll know that New Matilda is on a mission to sign up 1500 financial supporters in September. If we don’t hit this target, we’ll be shutting up shop in 2012. You can sign up as a supporter here for as little as $4.60 a month.
Q. Be honest, how many people do you need to sign up before next Friday? A. Our target is 1500 supporters by the end of the month.
We’ve got 590.
Which means we need 910 people to sign up in the next week and a half. We need existing supporters to renew their financial commitment to the site — and for new readers and lurkers to get behind NM.
Q. Is that realistic? A. Why not? 1200 people signed up to support New Matilda at the end of 2010. We’ve had a great year, traffic to the site is up, and our profile has been raised considerably. There was a big spike in donations right at the end of our supporter drive last year and we’re expecting a similar last-minute push. If you’re thinking about signing up, don’t delay! We’d much rather factor in your support this week rather that when NM is right on the line next week.
Q. Why are you asking us to pay via monthly debit rather than a lump sum? A. We don’t want to rip you off.
We don’t know whether we’ll be around for another year — so we can’t legally ask people to pay a "yearly" fee — it would get us into all sorts of trouble if we had to close at the end of 2011.
This way we are only asking people to pay for what they get. All monthly payments will obviously be cancelled if we end up folding at the end of 2011. Such is the precarious nature of our reader-funded existence!
Feedback also tells us that small monthly payments are much easier to manage for readers on a low income.
Q. Why do you love PayPal and hate Wikileaks so much? A. We weren’t able to process monthly payments via a merchant bank account. PayPal was our only option for monthly debits.
We’re aware that some of our readers would prefer not to do business with PayPal because of their treatment of Wikileaks. We’ve been made aware of these boycotts through politely worded emails and slightly abusive form responses. We don’t support PayPal’s treatment of Wikileaks but unfortunately PayPal was the only option that really met our needs.
Q. Is there any other option? A. The other option is to send us a cheque made out to Cordell Media and sent to Locked Bag 2000/152 Surry Hills 2010, or transfer money directly into our account (Acc name: Cordell Media, BSB: 062033 Acc No:1044 8257). However, supporters who donate this way will not be automatically registered with the site as paid supporters, with all the privileges that entails.
Q. Will that increase your workload? A. Yes. Any way you slice it, we’re short on administrative resources. We will manually register these supporters as soon as we can — but we’d be very grateful to have this particular admin load reduced. However, if you really can’t use PayPal, we still very much appreciate your support!
Q. How do I sign up? A. Right here.
Q. Why should I sign up? A. This country needs independent media. With shrinking media diversity on the one hand and a transformation of media delivery on the other, there aren’t many outlets publishing well researched analysis and independent-minded journalism like that found at New Matilda.
Investigative journalism, robust and responsible editorial processes, sharp analysis: these are worth your support. As a financial supporter you’ll be supporting the editors and journalists who make New Matilda happen — and helping to provide new perspectives on the big stories of the moment, as well as breaking new ones. And the good news is, it doesn’t take much to make a big difference to our operation.
Q. How much does it cost? A. Our stalwart rate is $7.34 a month, which works out to around $88 a year. Bargain!
Q. Do you really need the money? A. Yes. New Matilda is run on a very tight budget and there’s no fat to pare away. Read Ben Eltham on NM’s efficiency here.
Q. Are you going to sell our details on to other providers. A. No.
Q. New Matilda is a great website. Can’t you just do it for love? A. No.
Q. Is there anything in it for me, apart from the buzz of supporting independent media? A. Yes! We send monthly giveaways to our paid supporters. This month our supporters got film tickets, CDs, books, a $100 dinner voucher and more.
Q. Will New Matilda really fold? A. Yes, if we don’t make our fundraising target. We’re not prepared to hurl ourselves into 2012 without being certain we can make it through the year.
Q. I’m having trouble signing up, can you help? A. Yes. Send us an email at enquiriesATnewmatilda.com. Include your phone number if you would prefer to speak to someone on the phone. We are very happy to help.
Any other questions? Post them below in the the comments section.