PRESS START: CROWDFUNDING STORIES THAT MATTER

MEMO 98 is a partner of Transitions (TOL) in a project called Press Start which is the first global crowdfunding platform for reporters in countries where the press cannot report freely, potentially revolutionizing the way independent journalism is funded in the developing world and emerging democracies. Last month, the project partners put Press Start into your hands, and many of you did not disappoint. We’re in the final stretch of our inaugural campaigns, and we’re thrilled to report that some of our reporters and editors have met their goals.

But others – who set more ambitious targets – still need help. If you haven’t contributed yet, can we convince you to kick in $20? We need this early success for Press Start to prove that it’s viable.

Then we can go in search of major media attention, perhaps more institutional donors, and, of course, hundreds more individual contributors for, we hope, hundreds more journalists. The first days of this experiment will likely be the toughest, but the early dollars are crucial. If you can help us, please give to one of our outstanding reporters and editors from Congo, Honduras, or Lebanon, or consider contributing to the Press Start mutual fund, which we use to top up the campaigns of journalists who are almost at the finish line.