By Paul Jay.
Dear TRNN Members and Viewers,
People around the world are battling. Their target? A system that gives fabulous riches and political power to the most parasitical members of the financial and political elite. It demands ordinary people make greater sacrifices.
The achievement of the OWS movement has been to focus global attention on this 1% who would see the world suffer a decade of depression rather than accept necessary change.
Much of the power of this elite is dependent on news programming that obscures the basis of the crisis. In one way or the other, this “news” asks people to submit, because to do otherwise leads to chaos and ruin.
It does not fool everyone, but it still fools enough.
We need news that cuts through propaganda and spin. We need news for people who don’t submit, who want to take control of their own destiny. Our job is to do fact-based-news for ordinary people who want to take over.
We are working hard to make Real News by and for the 99%.
In our recent survey we asked members what they wanted more of from The Real News. More than two thousand people responded telling us: more international coverage; deeper analysis of the economic crisis and its solutions; broadening our coverage of the environment and climate change; and reporting and analysis about the worker’s and social movements. We’ve heard you and we are doing our best to make it so.
Some of our recent growth includes full time journalists in Cairo, Tel Aviv, Washington and coming soon in Ottawa and Beijing. In 2012 we plan to add African and Latin American correspondents. With your support, we will also have journalists covering environmental issues, social and workers movements, and one devoted to reporting on solutions.
In the new year we will be creating our Baltimore Bureau, with the motto “Don’t Roll Over, Take Over!“. We will produce a unique format of programming that combines investigative journalism with community town halls. These town halls will start a citywide discussion about public policy in the interests of ordinary people. This is a pilot project we hope will spread to cities across North America (who knows, maybe the world?).
We will soon be establishing the new headquarters and central studios of The Real News Network in Baltimore. We hope you will visit us there soon.
To further accomplish these objectives, building our monthly donor base is critical. A small progressive family foundation has agreed to match new monthly donations, dollar for dollar and up front, for a value of one year’s donations.
If you are already a monthly donor, contact us to increase your donation and our donors will match your entire monthly amount – that is your current rate plus the increase!
For those who have already donated this year, thanks so much for your encouragement and financial support. Of course, a little more will go a long way.
Here’s how the matching campaign works. Your monthly contribution will trigger a match equal to one year’s accumulated donation. That means if you sign up for $20 a month for at least one year, the match will be 12 x $20= $240 towards our 200k challenge. A $50 monthly contribution triggers a $600 match – right now.
This offer begins Dec 7 and ends Dec 31st. Donations are tax deductible in the US and Canada.
If you prefer to give a single amount, of course that will be matched too, dollar for dollar.
If you donate at least $100 or $10 a month, we’ll send you a “Don’t Roll Over, Take Over” Real News T-shirt (or pick one of our other great gifts). If you donate more than $200 or $20 per month, we will send you the T-shirt and your choice of DVD to boot!
We must meet our 200k goal by December 31st if we are to keep making Real News in 2012.
The Real News . . . for ordinary people who want to “take over”.
This matching offer is over year’s end, so please take the time to click donate now or phone us at 1 410 800 4295 or send a check made payable to The Real News Network to:
US:
TRNN Washington Bureau
700 12th Street NW
Suite 1000
Washington, D.C. 20005
Canada and the world:
The Real News Network
P.O. Box 68512360A
Bloor Street West
Toronto, OntarioM5S 3C9
Best wishes,
Paul Jay and the TRNN staff and volunteers
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