editorial
17 Dec 2010
New Matilda Will Be Online In 2011
By Newmatilda.com
It's the best Christmas present ever! Thanks to you, we'll be back in 2011
Dear readers,
Hold onto your hats: New Matilda will be online in 2011! Hooray!
We’ve done the maths and we’re prepared to head into the new year with an interest-free loan to help us make up our budget shortfall. We’ll have to pay it back, of course, so we’ll continue to seek donations in the new year.
Some people have asked why we delayed our decision from Wednesday.
Those of you who were watching our budget target soar on Wednesday morning might have an idea. We raised a whopping $15,000 in the last day of our campaign. Before the surge of the last few days we were hopeful — but we also knew we were on shaky ground. It wasn’t until we had received a critical mass of donations that we could even consider accepting a loan. Thank you to everybody who donated to our campaign.
Today will be our last day of publishing for the year. We will be taking a break (yes — it will be unpaid!) and will take time in January to plan a bumper year before we start publishing at full steam again on February 1.
In addition to the work of NM’s regular cohort of writers, you can expect more data-driven journalism in 2011. We’re lining up longer view investigative projects too. There’s a shiny site redesign to implement as well which will help you access articles on the site more easily. The NSW state election will be on our immediate horizon when we return. It will be hard to top 2010 for federal political drama but we suspect that the changeover in the Senate, combined with the PM’s big recent policy promises will provide plenty of fodder.
We’ve got a lot of people to thank for their help in getting the site back online and conducting the fundraising campaign. Many people gave time and advice freely. We knew plenty about running a website when we kicked off our campaign with Fundbreak — but not a whole lot about fundraising.
We’d like to thank Dave Gravina at Digital Eskimo for drumming up industry support; Phil Rutherford, New Matilda’s off-site advertising manager, for donating his time; Glen Fuller for organising events, including our quiz night (look out for more events in 2011), and Deborah Kelly for donating artwork; Stephen Steneker at Grox and Tom Cameron at Mooball for tech support; Ben Pobjie, Ben Eltham, Jennifer Mills, Mustafa Qadri, Zoe Krupka and Fiona Katauskas for their loyalty; Alex Kelly for spreading the word; Tanja Kovac for approaching progressive organisations; and Xavier Rizos for business advice. Many more people gave us advice, moral support and encouragement. We needed it: thank you all!
Thanks are also due to the many writers, cartoonists and photographers who gave their work to the site for free as well as to the people who talked up NM on and offline. On the home front, our friends and family have soaked up a fair bit of drama too.
Our fundraising partners at Fundbreak worked tirelessly to keep the campaign online. Without their expertise, Australia’s most successful crowdfunding experiment might have tanked!
And of course, thank you to everyone who signed up to become a financial supporter. We know this campaign was watched closely by people in the industry who were curious as to whether an Australian audience would pay for online content. New Matilda readers have shown that they value independent media and are prepared to pay for it.
It’s not too late to get on the bandwagon either. If you missed out on donating via Fundbreak and would like to support NM safe in the knowledge that we will actually stay online next year, you can do so by making a direct transfer to Cordell Media Pty Ltd (BSB: 062033; Account: 10448257) or by sending a cheque made out to Cordell Media Pty Ltd to Locked Bag 2000/152 Surry Hills NSW 2010.
Thanks everyone! Have a great summer break and see you all in 2011.
Marni and Catri
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Rx
Posted Friday, 17 December 10 at 12:52PMGood one. Congratulations!
Now is the time to show News Ltd and the ABC how truly independent, progressive journalism is done.
spray53
Posted Friday, 17 December 10 at 12:53PMthe best news, all the best for the new year!!!!!
Big Jimmy
Posted Friday, 17 December 10 at 1:07PMYay!! Another candle survives against the darkness. It’s looking like a better new year already…
Well done, guys!Thompson
Posted Friday, 17 December 10 at 1:09PMExcellent! Great news for the entire progressive community. Really looking forward to all those interesting and informative articles in February.
Antonio
Posted Friday, 17 December 10 at 1:40PMCongratulations Marni and Catri - wonderful news. The amazing support reflects the desire for quality journalism in this country. The Argentinean Malbec I promised in my previous post - where should I send them?!! - you deserve a few glasses of wine. Saludos, Antonio.
EUbrainwashing
Posted Friday, 17 December 10 at 1:47PMJournalistic prostitution pays - more old news I guess.
nlfharrison
Posted Friday, 17 December 10 at 2:08PMI would totally get a New Matilda shirt if you guys made them.
esapersona
Posted Friday, 17 December 10 at 2:21PMGreat to hear guys!
danedwards
Posted Friday, 17 December 10 at 3:25PMNice one guys! Good luck with the forthcoming year!
CJ Morgan
Posted Friday, 17 December 10 at 4:00PMWhat an excellent early Xmas pressie - have a great break and we’ll see you in the New Year!
Misty
Posted Friday, 17 December 10 at 4:25PMBrilliant news, well done. 2011 is already looking good. If Gunns Ltd would only can the pulp mill planned for Tassie’s Tamar Valley it would look better still. Here’s hoping and happy new year to all.
trendev
Posted Friday, 17 December 10 at 4:40PMTrendev
Congratulations, Marni and Catri, and many thanks to you and the team for your unstinting commitment and efforts. Roll on independent and progressive journalism in 2011.PaulRobert
Posted Friday, 17 December 10 at 7:01PMHuzzah! That great news has made my day. Congrats Marni & Catri and everyone else at NM.
And I’m with nlfharrison: once the redesign is bedded down, New Matilda t-shirts would be a great idea.
Happy new year all.dpforest
Posted Friday, 17 December 10 at 7:31PMSo glad you are back on, but PLEASE make it easier to donate. Just a Paypal button would do it. I couldn’t make it through the fundbreak system, and now you want cheques POSTED ?! For us impulsive non tech heads, it has to be simple !
Love you all !
Have a good Christmas
tts
Posted Friday, 17 December 10 at 9:36PMWonderful news! Not a lot to add to the others’ comments really, other than my personal thanks for all your efforts made to reach this point, and congratulations on making it.
Daniel Piotrowski
Posted Friday, 17 December 10 at 10:47PMFantastic!
phoebecoyne
Posted Friday, 17 December 10 at 11:39PMHurrah! Happy for NM, independant media and us readers!
@ nlfharrison- of course there are NM tshirts! You haven’t looked hard enough! http://newmatilda.com/2009/04/06/if-you-love-our-articles-buy-tshirtTom McLoughlin
Posted Saturday, 18 December 10 at 8:01AMAs Vincent said, you have to suffer for your art.
On a happier note I’m good for another $1000.
Atheistno1
Posted Saturday, 18 December 10 at 10:35PMCongrats & I’m behind you NM.
David Skidmore
Posted Monday, 20 December 10 at 9:11AMYay! I hope the well-rounded man in the red suit is good to you.
danielsydney
Posted Wednesday, 29 December 10 at 7:57PMCongratulations. Cant wait for the new look relaunch site.
Atheistno1
Posted Friday, 31 December 10 at 2:23PMWishing New Matilda & it’s readers a Happy & ‘VERY’ Prosperous New Year!
jhahilt
Posted Sunday, 16 January 11 at 10:49PMHi guys
Congrats, I really didn’t want my money back.
Now show us why the word from NM eclipses all others Cheers
Atheistno1
Posted Saturday, 29 January 11 at 9:36AMIt’s already the end of January & 2011 well on it’s way, where are you NM? where eager to read your fine articles.
A great, independent online news resource. read it. Support it.
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