[P2P-F] Fwd: Big scoop - now we need your help!

Fri Feb 27 00:12:39 CET 2015

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Rosemary Bechler <rosemary at rbechler.com>
Date: Fri, Feb 27, 2015 at 5:32 AM
Subject: Big scoop - now we need your help!
To: Rosemary Bechler <rosemary.bechler at opendemocracy.net>

Dear friends,

I'm writing with exciting news about openDemocracy. A few days ago Peter
Oborne, chief political commentator at Britain's Daily Telegraph, published
an explosive resignation letter on oD
<https://www.opendemocracy.net/ourkingdom/peter-oborne/why-i-have-resigned-from-telegraph>,
alleging the paper had suppressed negative stories about major advertisers
like HSBC. The story has brought more readers to our site than ever before,
and is continuing to reverberate across the world, with fresh allegations
surfacing every day - raising questions that go right to the heart of
democracy.

I'm writing to you because over the years you've been kind enough to give
openDemocracy something we value greatly: your writing, your ideas. We are
incredibly grateful for this. I'm now asking you for your help - at this
galvanising moment - to help us keep publishing stories that others won't.

We've launched this fundraiser off the back of the Oborne/HSBC story:
https://www.justgiving.com/keep-journalism-free -  and we’d be so grateful
for whatever help you can give in supporting it and spreading the word via
email and social media. (And apologies for bothering you again if you
already have!)

Every person who donates or simply shares the link with others really does
make a difference, and we’re hugely thankful to the many of you who have
already done this. We simply wouldn’t be here without you.

With thanks in advance and best wishes,

Rosemary

Ps. Here’s the email we’ve sent out to contributors, supporters and friends
of oD, please feel free to forward to anyone who might be interested.
Thanks again:

*Subject: **The news they tried to hide*
*From: *Mary Fitzgerald, openDemocracy <info at opendemocracy.net>
*Reply-To: *Mary Fitzgerald, openDemocracy <info at opendemocracy.net>
*To: *<anthony.barnett at opendemocracy.net>
*Date: *19 February 2015 18:04:26 GMT

View this email in your browser
<http://us1.campaign-archive2.com/?u=9c663f765f28cdb71116aa9ac&id=9fc49ff0f1&e=9c912361c8>

Dear friend,

This week openDemocracy broke a story which *casts a shadow over democracy*.
Peter Oborne’s allegation that Britain’s Daily Telegraph has *suppressed
embarrassing stories about big corporations like HSBC* rather than risk
advertising revenues cannot be ignored. If journalism doesn’t hold power to
account,democracy doesn't work.

Today, we're launching a funding appeal so *we can keep bringing you the
stories that others won't.* *Join us here
<http://opendemocracy.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9c663f765f28cdb71116aa9ac&id=cf70cd26bf&e=9c912361c8>*
.

Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised by the Telegraph/HSBC scandal. As we have
stopped paying for news, papers have become increasingly dependent on
advertisers. That leaves us with a stark reality. Either *we find a way to
fund journalism into the future, or democracy itself is in peril.*

On openDemocracy, we don’t shy away from fearless reporting. We’ve
taken on *G4S,
governments and vast banks*. Because we’re a not-for-profit, there are no
corporate owners or shareholders expecting dividends. But it also means *we
need your support to continue
<http://opendemocracy.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9c663f765f28cdb71116aa9ac&id=f6adc15ea0&e=9c912361c8>*
.

It’s normal, when fundraising, to promise specific outcomes. To break it
down into neat packages of “£2 pays for a coffee, £100 pays for an
article”. But in all honesty, *you know it’s not that simple.*

The truth is that *the best journalism comes when reporters follow whatever
scent they find* to wherever it takes them. That is what we are asking
you to help pay for.

We can't allow truth to be caged by a dependence on advertisers. *Contribute
today
<http://opendemocracy.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9c663f765f28cdb71116aa9ac&id=e125f99131&e=9c912361c8>,
and help set journalism free.
<http://opendemocracy.us1.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=9c663f765f28cdb71116aa9ac&id=8114c20b0f&e=9c912361c8>*

Thank you, in advance,
Mary, Adam, Jess, Ollie and the whole openDemocracy team

PS: In his resignation statement
<http://opendemocracy.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9c663f765f28cdb71116aa9ac&id=a612e9c0d1&e=9c912361c8>
on openDemocracy,
Peter Oborne wrote:

*“A free press is essential to a healthy democracy. There is a purpose to
journalism, and it is not just to entertain. It is not to pander to
political power, big corporations and rich men. Newspapers have what
amounts in the end to a constitutional duty to tell their readers the
truth.“It is not only the Telegraph that is at fault here. The past few
years have seen the rise of shadowy executives who determine what truths
can and what truths can’t be conveyed across the mainstream media.”*

This worrying trend is why openDemocracy exists. Our model depends on a
simple belief: that you are willing to pay for what we do. Please keep this
hope alive and contribute here
<http://opendemocracy.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9c663f765f28cdb71116aa9ac&id=eacbc52f83&e=9c912361c8>
.
 *Copyright © 2015 Open Democracy, All rights reserved.*

*Our mailing address is:*
Open Democracy
The Print House, 18 Ashwin Street
London, England  E8 3DL
United Kingdom

Add us to your address book
<http://opendemocracy.us1.list-manage.com/vcard?u=9c663f765f28cdb71116aa9ac&id=fc07c0bf6b>

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Rosemary Bechler, openDemocracy Editor,
Rosemary at rbechler.com

If you read nothing else by me, please do read *Unbounded Freedom*
<http://www.opendemocracy.net/rosemary-bechler/unbounded-freedom>

-- 
Check out the Commons Transition Plan here at: http://commonstransition.org

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