I’ve been a political reporter for almost 20 years. Before I became D.C. bureau chief for The Intercept, I worked at for-profit outlets like Politico and the Huffington Post.
But surveying the media landscape today, I’ve never been more disappointed in how badly the corporate media is failing to report on the actual machinations of power in Washington, D.C.
In a democracy, journalists are supposed to inform the citizenry about the life-or-death decisions that are made by their elected representatives. Instead, liberal and conservative outlets alike are retreating into their respective corners to spin out superficial narratives and manufacture cultural grievances — all in a futile attempt to preserve their waning ratings and web traffic.
The Intercept is nearly alone in focusing our political coverage on who profits and who pays for the decisions made in Washington. We’re not waiting for the next dramatic scandal; we think “business as usual” is one. And that means we’re one of the few independent outlets left that has credibility with readers across the political spectrum, capable of calling out hypocrisy and wrongdoing wherever we see it.
But exposing the shocking reality of political and corporate corruption is expensive work. It requires both thankless hours of old-school reporting and the resources only a modern news organization can provide. And it’s not the kind of thing that makes shareholders or advertisers happy — which is why we’re a nonprofit newsroom funded in large part by readers like you.
Right now, The Intercept is in the middle of our crucial year-end fundraising drive. This is our best chance to start 2023 on a strong financial footing — which means that when a reporter comes to me with an incredible tip, I can give them whatever they need to report it out.
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Before heading home for the holidays, Congress quietly passed trillions of of dollars in military and social spending. The stakes of this legislation are enormous: Who survives in this country? Who gets left behind?
As always, staggering increases in defense funding made the cut. Reviving progressive wins like the Child Tax Credit? Legal access to banking for pot shops? Maybe next time.
The Intercept is dedicated to covering the major corporations throwing an army of lobbyists and lawyers at legislation to make sure they profit and everyone else loses — a world you wouldn’t even know about from mainstream political coverage.
To be honest, without The Intercept, I have no idea where I’d go to report stories that unsettle establishment narratives and challenge conventional wisdom.
Having chosen the harder path, The Intercept’s nonprofit newsroom is all the more dependent on readers like you who give generously to make it possible. Right now we’re up against a crucial year-end deadline — and unfortunately, we’ve begun to fall behind.
Thank you,
