For the last few weeks, we’ve been talking to readers through surveys and interviews about what you like and don’t like so far about our work at the Committee Trawler. For all of you who have taken the time to engage with us, thank you! You’re helping us make our work better reflect what you need from your municipal news.
Anyway, announcement time — we’re launching a subscription paywall on May 25! Please hear us out. You’ve heard us talk about how the Committee Trawler is only possible with the generosity of our readers. For getting us up and running, this support model has been a great start and we will always be grateful for our earliest supporters.
Moving forward, to get our publication to a place where it is financially sustainable, we will be paywalling committee meeting recaps a week after they are posted and subscribers will also have access to more in-depth meeting analysis. Our newsletter, explainers, and opinion columns will continue to be freely accessible.
You’ve told us that you appreciate our comprehensive committee coverage because you can’t really get it anywhere else. However, good, quality journalism takes time and money to produce so we hope you understand our reasoning and we are hoping that if you value our work, you’ll consider becoming a paying subscriber on May 25.
We also understand that even though our paywall is a pay what you can, for some people even that is a barrier. We also believe that being an engaged member of our democracy requires access to information, and we don’t think being engaged should be dependent on your ability to pay. If money, specifically the lack thereof, is an accessibility issue for you, request customer support and we’ll make sure you can stay informed.
For our existing supporters, don’t worry, nothing is changing for you. This announcement is just for transparency so you know what our business model looks like. We’ll grandfather existing support into our new subscription system and you’ll continue to have access to everything.
Good, quality journalism takes time and money to produce — thank you for believing in us and helping us keep doing what we do.
