New Matilda is almost entirely funded by its readers. This month, we’re inviting you to be part of the future of the Australian media by funding us for another year. It doesn’t cost much to get on board — concession rates start at $55.00.
Sign up to fund New Matilda for 12 months here.
When you fund New Matilda, what are you supporting? Here are 10 things that NM does that no one else does.
1. Policy, not politics.
NM’s National Affairs correspondent Ben Eltham is one of Australia’s sharpest writers. He digs underneath the 24-hour media cycle, and examines the substantive issues behind the door-stops, the opinion polls and the spin.
2. Remind you what the Pacific Solution really meant.
We were shocked when the Gillard Government announced an enthusiastic return to offshore processing. Wendy Bacon compiled a two-part timeline on the blighted history of the Pacific Solution. We’ve consistently published on asylum seekers and refuse to buy into the mainstream media and politicians’ moral panic — we’re in it for the long run.
3. Media diversity show and tell.
The phone hacking scandal and the Finkelstein report put the media under the bright lights. At NM, we’ve been publishing critical commentary on the state of the Australian media by experts such as Bill Birnbauer, Wendy Bacon and Jake Lynch. And we’re not just talking media diversity and independence — we’re doing it.
4. Read the fine print on the Australian government’s contract with Serco.
NM scored an investigative coup in November 2011 when we published details of the contract DIAC signed with Serco.
5. Bring you the word Compassiona.
Ben Pobjie is New Matilda’s resident satirist. He’s always good. Sometimes, he’s dangerously good. When he wrote about the Gillard government’s compassionate new approach to asylum seekers, he was a lethal weapon.
6. Stay in touch with Austin Mackell.
Austin Mackell has been filing stories for NM since 2009. He was arrested reporting in Egypt in February 2012 and subject to travel restrictions. Like many readers, we were alarmed that he did not receive more support from the Australian government. Charges against Austin were dropped last month. We ran regular updates from Austin on the site.
7. Fiona Katauskas. Every week.
The woman’s a genius. Enough said. See her cartoons here.
8. Economic myth-busting.
Politicians don’t always get it right when it comes to economics. In fact, they often get it terribly wrong. Public finance expert Ian McAuley bursts bubbles of economic spin in plain English. Need convincing? Take a look at his takedowns of the Coalition’s "talking points" — the closest thing we have to policy from Tony Abbott — and the "productivity myth".
9. Bring you new voices.
Everyone loves the idea of encouraging new writers. Not everyone is prepared to give them a go. At NM we’re proud to have the byline of talented, keen young writers such as Adam Brereton, Paul Farrell and Kate Ausburn appear on the site next to established names.
10. Time on the couch with the News Therapist.
NM may be the only website in the world to have its very own news therapist. Zoe Krupka is a psychologist who delves into why audiences react so vehemently to particular issues — and why some stories get such traction.
You’ll hear more about our funding campaign through the month of September.
Sign up to fund New Matilda for 12 months here.
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New Matilda is a small, independent media outlet. We survive through reader contributions, and never losing a lawsuit. If you got something from this article, giving something back helps us to continue speaking truth to power. Every little bit counts.
