How do I support the media I like, financially
August 24, 2016 8:04 AM Subscribe
I read tons of small to medium blogs, read and listen to many independent news producers from public radio to online editions of mainstream newspapers to indy news sources, and listen to dozens of different podcasts. I have started donating directly to a few of these writers and producers, but frankly, it's impossible for me to donate to all of them. What can I do to support a sustainable economy for these nonprofits/progressive media companies/small ventures/creative projects/etc?
I am very excited about the idea of micropayments. I wish I could pay Feedly some monthly fee, and they would distribute most of it like perhaps a cable TV network or something. Likewise for podcasts. But as far as I can tell, there is no way for me to support this? Who is working on this problem? How do I throw them a little money or support?
I don't want to loose the Awl, the Guardian, Mystery Show, Code Switch, The New Inquiry, or the dozens of small blogs, radio shows, etc that are the best part of newer media production.
I am very excited about the idea of micropayments. I wish I could pay Feedly some monthly fee, and they would distribute most of it like perhaps a cable TV network or something. Likewise for podcasts. But as far as I can tell, there is no way for me to support this? Who is working on this problem? How do I throw them a little money or support?
I don't want to loose the Awl, the Guardian, Mystery Show, Code Switch, The New Inquiry, or the dozens of small blogs, radio shows, etc that are the best part of newer media production.
I haven't found anything remotely satisfying as a one-stop shop. What I've done is to keep a spreadsheet of both stuff I like that accepts donations (either announced fund drives or Patreons or whatever) and the contributions I've made. If a site I visit frequently announces a fund drive, they get my contribution that month. I have a monthly budget, and anything unspent at the end of the month either goes to someone on the list or a catchall like the local library.
It's haphazard and arbitrary, but before I started doing this I was thinking about funding more than actually funding. At least this way I know I've contributed $X to somone.
posted by five toed sloth at 8:28 AM on August 24, 2016 [3 favorites]
It's haphazard and arbitrary, but before I started doing this I was thinking about funding more than actually funding. At least this way I know I've contributed $X to somone.
posted by five toed sloth at 8:28 AM on August 24, 2016 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: I don't pay for feedly, I'm just saying I'd like some central way to pay once because it is not realistic to pay dozens of individual sites of various sizes and scales. It seems natural that there would be some kind of cable network equivalent, and although I could see lots of problems with that model, I there there may be worse problems with a model where all the best sites are going out of business.
posted by latkes at 8:29 AM on August 24, 2016
posted by latkes at 8:29 AM on August 24, 2016
For podcasts, leaving good, recent reviews in iTunes helps their discoverability to other consumers which isn't a direct financial arrangement it helps them.
posted by mmascolino at 8:57 AM on August 24, 2016 [6 favorites]
posted by mmascolino at 8:57 AM on August 24, 2016 [6 favorites]
If you haven't already, make sure you whitelist your favorite sites in adblock. Assuming if you use an adblocker.
Other than that, try to click on the ads that are relevant to your interests.
For podcasts, if an ad interests you. Try signing up for one of the trial products.
posted by 81818181818181818181 at 9:31 AM on August 24, 2016 [2 favorites]
Other than that, try to click on the ads that are relevant to your interests.
For podcasts, if an ad interests you. Try signing up for one of the trial products.
posted by 81818181818181818181 at 9:31 AM on August 24, 2016 [2 favorites]
Since these are all still thriving by counting users, probably the best thing you can do to help them is to write, talk, and share about their content in every medium you have access to.
posted by Miko at 9:32 AM on August 24, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Miko at 9:32 AM on August 24, 2016 [1 favorite]
If you haven't already, make sure you whitelist your favorite sites in adblock. Assuming if you use an adblocker.
This. Using an ad blocker on an independent website is taking away the only way most of these sites have to monetize their work. Ad blockers are killing independent websites. (Clicking on the ad isn't really necessary in most cases, you just need to SEE it.)
Also, what Miko said, 100%. Share, share, share and spread the word about sites you love. If the people who write those sites have other projects -- books, or other freelance work -- buy those and read those. The best way to support independent media is by seeing their ads and supporting their writing/podcasting across formats.
posted by Countess Sandwich at 9:48 AM on August 24, 2016 [1 favorite]
This. Using an ad blocker on an independent website is taking away the only way most of these sites have to monetize their work. Ad blockers are killing independent websites. (Clicking on the ad isn't really necessary in most cases, you just need to SEE it.)
Also, what Miko said, 100%. Share, share, share and spread the word about sites you love. If the people who write those sites have other projects -- books, or other freelance work -- buy those and read those. The best way to support independent media is by seeing their ads and supporting their writing/podcasting across formats.
posted by Countess Sandwich at 9:48 AM on August 24, 2016 [1 favorite]
Yes, whitelisting, promoting their work and direct contributions make a huge difference.
If they do not have a tip jar, you could write to them and suggest they add it. (Not a donate button. A tip jar.)
When you promote their work, it should be in the vein of "If you need good info about (subject), this is a great source" or "Hey, guys, this is the most entertaining thing I have read all week." Explain to people why you think it is awesome and why they should to. This is vastly more valuable to the author than you gushing at them about their work. Gush at other people about why their work is the awesomest. This will lead to traffic which can lead to money.
posted by Michele in California at 11:04 AM on August 24, 2016 [1 favorite]
If they do not have a tip jar, you could write to them and suggest they add it. (Not a donate button. A tip jar.)
When you promote their work, it should be in the vein of "If you need good info about (subject), this is a great source" or "Hey, guys, this is the most entertaining thing I have read all week." Explain to people why you think it is awesome and why they should to. This is vastly more valuable to the author than you gushing at them about their work. Gush at other people about why their work is the awesomest. This will lead to traffic which can lead to money.
posted by Michele in California at 11:04 AM on August 24, 2016 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Huh. So basically, my fantasy that someone is working on a micropayment or other scheme for systematizing this is not the case. I mean, I think it's nice to recommend sites I like to others, but The Toast (as the most recent example) seems to show that merely being well-loved is not enough to pay the bills. ):
posted by latkes at 11:17 AM on August 25, 2016
posted by latkes at 11:17 AM on August 25, 2016
You can tip as little as a dollar via a Pay Pal tip jar. The person being tipped will recieve about 67¢ of that. If you give $5, they will get $4.50.
You have to hack the Pay Pal system a smidge. I have done a write up on how to do that. I have no idea how to promote the idea in a big way and it doesn't really make me money to do it. But, I see no reason to try to create a system for tipping less than a dollar. A dollar is a pretty small amount of money in the world today and Pay Pal is pretty ubiquitous. To my mind, that is a perfectly adequate solution for micropayments.
Folks trying to come up with hypothetical scenarios for giving 10¢ a page or whatever by prefilling an account for a particular service seem to not really be getting anywhere. I have seen write ups on hypothetical experiments to test the idea where no actial money was involved. I was not impressed. I think it makes much more sense to just give a $5 tip once in a while than to give 10¢ every time you like a specific page they wrote. If they have adsense, whitelisting and promoting their work is the way to get pennies to them.
I think micropayments below a dollar will probably never be a thing and do not need to be. If you tipped a waitress or piano player at a bar less than a dollar, they would likely feel insulted. If you are so poor or penurious that you cannot give me a dollar, just whitelist the site or visit one of my other sites with ads or promote my work. I don't even want to deal with payments under $1. Neither does adsense. They pay out when you hit $100.
posted by Michele in California at 11:35 AM on August 25, 2016
You have to hack the Pay Pal system a smidge. I have done a write up on how to do that. I have no idea how to promote the idea in a big way and it doesn't really make me money to do it. But, I see no reason to try to create a system for tipping less than a dollar. A dollar is a pretty small amount of money in the world today and Pay Pal is pretty ubiquitous. To my mind, that is a perfectly adequate solution for micropayments.
Folks trying to come up with hypothetical scenarios for giving 10¢ a page or whatever by prefilling an account for a particular service seem to not really be getting anywhere. I have seen write ups on hypothetical experiments to test the idea where no actial money was involved. I was not impressed. I think it makes much more sense to just give a $5 tip once in a while than to give 10¢ every time you like a specific page they wrote. If they have adsense, whitelisting and promoting their work is the way to get pennies to them.
I think micropayments below a dollar will probably never be a thing and do not need to be. If you tipped a waitress or piano player at a bar less than a dollar, they would likely feel insulted. If you are so poor or penurious that you cannot give me a dollar, just whitelist the site or visit one of my other sites with ads or promote my work. I don't even want to deal with payments under $1. Neither does adsense. They pay out when you hit $100.
posted by Michele in California at 11:35 AM on August 25, 2016
This thread is closed to new comments.
Other than that, your money is much, much more effectively spent giving any amount directly to the content producers as opposed to a middle agency that takes a fee (no one is going to do this entirely for free, not even a non-profit.)
Also, I'm not sure why you would be paying a site like Feedly. Feedly isn't necessarily in communication with the sites you read on there, they just centralize whatever feeds you give them for your convenience.
posted by griphus at 8:21 AM on August 24, 2016 [2 favorites]