Now is a critical time to support local journalism
If you follow Med City Beat regularly, you know we don’t spend much time talking about ourselves. Instead, we focus our time and resources on covering the stories that matter to our readers. As of late, that has meant delivering accurate, reliable news on how Rochester is responding to COVID-19.
However, as a small enterprise, we are not immune to the challenges affecting our economy — and so today, I felt it was necessary to turn inward and share how this pandemic has impacted our operation.
On one hand, we are living through a period in which the need for public service journalism could not be greater. That is why we have been working diligently to ensure the news you find here is supported by facts and context, delivered in a timely manner, and offered free of charge to the entire community. We do this because we have a responsibility to the readers who have put their trust in us.
But, truth be told, fulfilling that responsibility comes at a cost. We spend hundreds of hours a year on our reporting — all while maintaining editorial independence. We are able to do this with contributions from community partners — including many small businesses — and our members.
I write to you today, though, because I recognize that in this time of uncertainty, it is more important than ever that we lean on our readers for support. Not only does becoming a member give us the financial stability we need to do our jobs, but it also allows our readers to have a greater say in how we function.
Of course, I recognize this is a challenging time for many of you, and that some of our readers are already making difficult financial decisions as a result of statewide business closures. But if you are in a position to give, and you appreciate the work we do here, I encourage you to consider supporting us. In doing so, you will be ensuring we can continue to carry out our mission of producing quality, accessible journalism.
More information on becoming a member can be found at www.medcitybeat.com/membership.
Thank you all for following and for your continued support of Med City Beat,
Sean Baker
Founder/editor
👕 BONUS: Through April 1, all new annual members will receive a custom soft tee featuring the design below. (Existing members will also have opportunities to receive a shirt.) We will provide additional details in our members-only e-newsletter.
