Dear readers:
Welcome to 2020. For me, it’s more than a number. It’s a milestone. For the past decade — with the stalwart support and encouragement of readers and advertisers — we have been building a community news organization that now covers a combined population of 100,000 in Edmonds, Lynnwood and Mountlake Terrace.
Yet, many times I still feel like I’m in a one-sided relationship.
During the past decade, news organizations of all sizes — from the Guardian to the New York Times to The Seattle Times — realized that there weren’t enough advertising dollars to keep them solvent, and so they began an aggressive campaign for readers’ financial support. You have heard this from me, as well. It costs money to provide good journalism. The news may appear in your Facebook feed for free, but it isn’t free to write or photograph or edit or publish it.
I am grateful for our advertisers. They help keep us afloat financially. I am also thankful to the 1,000 or so readers who have been either regular and one-time financial supporters over the past decade.
But that leaves many thousands of people who read us regularly, but still haven’t given us a cent.
Ever.
So for me, the 2020s will be the decade of demanding support. And I am using the word “demand” intentionally. Your financial support is imperative. It’s not optional. It’s not a “nice thing” to do. It must be done to ensure we are here when 2030 rolls around.
The next 10 years will bring many changes to our region. In addition to population growth that we are already experiencing, light rail will arrive in South Snohomish County in just four years. Our local cities are already preparing to accommodate these developments.
Count on us to be your eyes and ears as these changes unfold. We’ll report on city council and school board meetings. We’ll photograph open houses, ribbon cuttings and grand openings. We’ll provide robust coverage of local elections, high school sports, the arts and restaurants.
We will also continue to give you a forum to express your opinions, air your grievances and offer your compliments.
It’s our commitment to you.
Now it’s your turn.
Happy New Year.
Teresa
I start each day, coffee in hand, reading My Edmonds News. A couple of years ago, I realized how well informed, entertained and heartened each day begins due to the extraordinary efforts of Teresa and crew. It was the realization of how much I would miss MEN if it folded, that led to my financial support. I urge everyone who values this fine publication to become a contributor today. Every time you read this news publication, you will have that good feeling that you’re helping preserve this precious Edmonds resource.
Today is a great day to start something worthwhile and contributing to My Edmonds News is easy and can be accomplished quickly.
Journalism matters. Reporters can’t pay their rent with comments and social media shares.
Thanks for advancing community through good local journalism. Best to you in 2020.
Please contact/email My Edmonds News today! I personally give a payment every month that is automatically charged to my credit card. It is easy peasy and I earn “cash back” on my CITI Card. Support this great newspaper and the Award Winning Editor, Teresa Wippel! You cannot “comment” at the Wall Street Journal unless you have a paid subscription, perhaps you might consider this option. While spending the winter in LaQuinta, CA, it keeps us informed of events and politics in our home in Edmonds. I’m glad that you published your ASK Teresa, we need a reminder now and then.
We count on you and the great crew – you can count on us – we’ll commit to $10/month!
Thanks for your dedication and setting an example of what journalism should be. If Everyone! Just contributed even $10 monthly it would help enormously.
Please start now. We need to keep good media alive.
My payment is on the way.
Thank you for your hard work, commitment and creativity. I happily donate monthly to help keep this Edmonds treasure alive and well.
Teresa,
Happy New Year and I too so appreciate reading and having access to all the local news, information and Edmonds updates.
My support is on the way!
My Edmonds News is a valuable resource to the community and I very much appreciate it! Please consider donating monthly.
MEN is one of the most valued email messages we receive. Thank you Teresa and crew for helping to keep us aware of what is going on in our community.
You can count on us for supporting this wonderful news outlet!
Started a monthly contribution a couple of months ago. MEN is a solid digital site to get very up to date news about goings on in our community and surrounding locales. Please consider helping Teresa by adding your support to MEN.
At this point I consider my small financial assist to MEN an act of patriotism. There is a fine line between news and propaganda. Other than the Comments section, MEN is virtually free of propaganda, which is not true of some of our other “news” sources.
I’ve been a paying subscriber for a while now, and I think it’s time to up my game a little and increase my monthly payment. Money well spent in our great little city.
I am already a subscriber of long standing, and I value MEN and love receiving it every morning, like clockwork. I would like to ask, however, how to disable the ‘subscribe now’ pop-up that comes up every time I click to an article. I logged in again, thinking that maybe that would help, but it continues to block the content of every page until I close it, again and again. I sympathise with the need to remind the non-subscribers to extend support, but I do not need reminding, I wholeheartedly DO support you, and thank you for all your hard work.
This is temporary and my apologies for the annoyance. It is scheduled to go away very soon.
Thanks for the reply. I think it would be a great reminder if it only popped up once – can’t that work? Some of those who read for free might just pony up!