Thread by @JuddLegum

1. We need independent media that isn't afraid to take on power.

One solution is to get rich people to fund it.

Sometimes this works out.

But rich people are mercurial and how many REALLY want to take on the status quo?

nytimes.com/2019/08/17/bus…

2. So we need to build independent accountability journalism that is also a SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS

One way is through ads

But many advertisers won't advertise next to important stuff. Fidelity won't advertise next to any article with "racism" or "Trump"

wsj.com/articles/adver…

3. We need a new model of journalism that is totally independent.

Independent from the whims of advertisers.

Independent from wealthy patrons.

Independent from social media algorithms

This is why I started Popular Information (popular.info) about a year ago

4. Total independence is why I've been able to consistently find stories that are overlooked by other outlets.

Last week, Amazon stopped hosting a fundraising page for Gab, the fringe social media site that caters to white nationalists, after a popular.info report

5. The way the business works is it's free to sign up and get 1 email a week.

If you like it, you pay $6/month or $50/year to support it and get 4 emails a week

Enough people who understand the importance of truly independent media for this to work

popular.info/subscribe

6. There is a rich history of this kind of journalism having an impact. During my Twitter hiatus, I read a biography of I.F. Stone. He ran a completely independent weekly newsletter for 17 years and produced some of the most important stories of the 50s, and 60s. No ads. $5/year.

7. Before Stone, there was George Seldes, who ran an independent newsletter with investigative journalism called "In Fact" from 1940 to 1950

Tag lines:

"For the millions who want a free press"

"A four-page weekly compendium of news other newspapers wouldn't print"

8. We need truly independent media now more than ever. And it's easier to produce! I.F. Stone had to take his copy to a printing press and send them all out by second class mail.

Thankfully, an ecosystem is being created on substack.com with lots of great stuff