(NOTE: This is still not a formal fundraiser, but TMV is now faced with a major unforseen event. :
No this isn’t our formal fundraiser. However, if you like The Moderate Voice and its mix of features — and viewpoints — donations are always welcome. Last year we did h a fundraiser last year due to brutal DoS attacks that nearly destroyed the site. This led to a new design aimed at above all trying to remove vulnerabilities. Aesthetics came after. Then we had to work out some bugs, which have been worked out.
UPDATE III:During this election season, around September, on one given day TMV’s hits dropped so sharply they looked like a photo of a plane doing a nosedive. There was no explanation for it. And our hits stayed there. I suspected it was one kind of hack Then a)right after the election our hits started to edge up b) two days ago big hacking attempts kept TMV down for nearly the full day
ALSO: A matter did come up where we had to call on TMV’s official attorney. The retainer was paid for by your contributions. TMV’s bank account is tiny.
TMV has certain paid features and expenses that have normally been at least covered by ad revenues. Like many sites, particularly blogs that are not sharply right or sharply left, TMV has seen a decline in ad revenues (many blogs have died off or get far fewer hits then they used to as social media becomes more popular). We are determined no matter what NOT to pull any paid features through 2016 and if ad revenue increases keep them for 2017.
Unlike many other blogs and websites, there is NO big bankroller for TMV. It has survived on some fundraisers done sparingly and its ad revenues. No matter what, it’ll operate full blast through this but donations could help. Many websites regularly ask for reader support. (A GoFundMe has been considered but won’t be done yet).
SO if you like the site and want to donate, just hit the donate button.
AND MANY THANKS to the TMV readers who have set up small reoccurring donations to TMV paid via PayPal. They DO help — and add up.
Even if you can’t donate, THANKS for reading TMV — and please do spread the (hopefully good) word.
Also, some sites have big corporate backers…not TMV. It is not a non-profit — or at least in OFFICIAL status. Nothing underwritten. Some sites are owned by corporations. Not TMV. I started it in 2003 and there is one little bank account. So if there’s a major hacking job, damage to site security or design, or a legal problem it posts a major challenge. And we’ve done fundraisers.
An official come in later weeks when we have a more clearer idea of where we are. In the meantime:
1. If you like TMV and want to donate, please do so. It’ll help our TMV account. I am adamant about NOT eliminated the paid features on TMV such as some featured columnists and cartoons.
2. If you know someone who might like TMV and might want to contribute, do TELL THEM about TMV.
3. TMV has not corporate sponsors and if there is a company you know that’d like to contribute (realizing it will NOT impact our posts) let them know.
Once we have a better idea of our expenses we will do a formal fundraiser, but do welcome any donations. No one is being pressured.
FOOTNOTE: If you donated to TMV and it did not get an immediate thank you, it means your email came back. We thank each person who donates immediately (unless the email comes back).
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.