Happy Holidays! We’ll Be Back In 2012

Today is our last day of publication for 2011. We’ll be back in early 2012.

Some people think that running an independent media outlet is a bit like a summer holiday. Little bit of reading in the morning, martinis for lunch, sashaying in the afternoon — with the publishing side of things a lucky side-effect.

Regrettably, that’s not the case. We’ve been operating on a fraying shoestring of a budget this year. We wish we had an oily rag. Our financial position is — and here we’re euphemising — stretched.

And yet, we’ve had a great year in publishing, and we wouldn’t have made it through without the support of our readers — especially those who supported us financially.

NM is built on great writing and our thanks are also due to our many contributors. We’ve featured the work of seasoned journalists with years of experience — and we’ve worked closely with young and emerging journalists. We’re proud of our strong record fostering new talent and we’re looking forward to more in 2012.

Behind the scenes, we’ve been the beneficiary of all manner of advice, support and kindness. We thank everybody who has helped keep New Matilda online this year.

We still need readers who value NM to step up and become financial contributors. You can sign up here. It costs as little as $4.30 a month. We’re not kidding when we say every new supporter helps keep NM online.

You’ve heard us make the case about why you should become an NM supporter plenty of times. In the spirit of Christmas giving, we asked some of our contributors to explain why NM is so valuable and why you should sign up.

Here’s what they said:

Wendy Bacon

There are many reasons to support New Matilda. It publishes stories you won’t find elsewhere — like that great investigation into the Serco’s detention centre contract. It’s shown it will stick to its guns even when big players go on the attack, such as in its reporting of the NSW electoral campaign. It has fresh international reports from young reporters on the ground rather than regurgitated stories you’ve already read online. If, like me, you’re concerned about concentrated corporate media power, one practical step you can take is to support new media with fresh perspectives. Help build a more democratic media by making a regular donation to New Matilda in 2012.

Benjamin Law

New Matilda never fails to impress me as a showcase for brainy writing on the important stuff. It’s must read companion to your daily news and worth the price of admission alone for Ben Eltham’s muscular political commentary. The fact you get frequent doses of Ben Pobjie’s acid satire, Fiona Katauskas’s cartoons and a host of new and original voices you can’t read anywhere else? Total bonus.

Fiona Katauskas

1. Their Serco immigration detention contract scoop

2. Ben Eltham’s always excellent commentary on politics, economic and the yarts

3. Ben Pobjie and his chunky nuggets of gold like “the Asian century” — so called because its ears are slightly smaller than the African century'”

4. Other great writers like Antony Loewenstein, Adam Brereton and Zoe Krupka

5. All the other good writers too numerous to mention

Actually, make that SIX good reasons:

6. Coverage of things like Indigenous policy, West Papua and asylum seekers that you won’t see anywhere else

No, seven:

7. Their support and encouragement of young emerging writers in a world of shrinking media opportunities

Okay, EIGHT then:

8. The general civility of the commenters. (Good on you, readers!)

Make that nine:

9. The editors, Marni and Catri who, week in and week out, bust their arses to bring you an independent publication on a shoestring budget

And finally:

10. The fact that if you DON’T support New Matilda none of the this will be around anymore … and it’ll be too late to wish you had. DO IT! DO IT NOW!!

Senator Scott Ludlam

New Matilda is independent, uncensored, fiery and much needed — thanks for coming back to life!

Antony Loewenstein

New Matilda fits comfortably in the noble tradition of searching and independent journalism. At a time of growing corporate power and “insider” journalism, NM should be supported financially by anybody who understands that Fairfax, Murdoch and ABC are only giving us a small window on the world.

Ben Pobjie

New Matilda gave me a chance when I was an unknown writer with a strange line in incomprehensible similes. Now that I am a slightly better-known writer with a strange line in incomprehensible similes, they’re still letting me do stuff that I can’t do anywhere else, as well as breaking stories and providing perspectives on the world that won’t be found in any other Australian media outlet. And they do it on a shoestring, and with a great fiery passion. By becoming a financial supporter you’ll be helping me and other NM contributors keep doing what we do, and also giving chances to more as-yet-unknowns with something to say. I’m proud to be New Matilda for life — it’d be great if you could help us keep delivering.

Jake Lynch

You can tell as much about the vitality of democracy from the questions commonly missed out of political and media debate, as from those that hog the headlines. While newspapers and programmes alike blether on about the fortunes of Tweedledee and Tweedledum in Canberra, New Matilda serves as the conscience of Australian journalism. Its revelations about human rights abuses, from West Papua to our own asylum detention centres — accompanied by an enlightened policy of commissioning intelligent comment and analysis — have built up into a proud record, worthy of support from everyone who cares about values in public life.

So hop to it! Sign up here.

Thanks for sticking with us through 2011. Have a great summer break — and we’ll see you in 2012.

Marni and Catri