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Ten Friends Sent Us Notes of Support

As we streak to add 600 monthly Tyee Builders, meet some cool members.

Jeanette Ageson 15 Sep 2020TheTyee.ca

Jeanette Ageson is publisher of The Tyee.

A great pleasure of being publisher of The Tyee is hearing from our readers. And not just the happy stuff. We welcome your constructive criticism, too! Meet 10 folks who’ve become monthly Tyee Builders, meaning they’ve pledged regular contributions to help support growing The Tyee’s paywall-free journalism. We’re more than grateful. We would not be here without our Builders’ support.

These brief commentaries on why they committed confirm what we already knew. Tyee supporters possess independent thought, sharp wit and a belief that a better world is possible. (Hmmm, those are traits we strive for, too. You can read about our mission and principles here.)

Meet some Tyee Builders and see if theirs is a club you’d like to join!

HILDA in Burns Lake

“Ignorance may be bliss, but it is dangerous to our own well-being and to our democracy. In a world where anything and everything is fed to us as truth, it is critically important to know there is an independent source of quality information. I don’t always agree with the articles in The Tyee, but I know they are not political spin.

“Someday, when a better normal allows us to travel freely, I would very much like to meet some of the people who show me a truth I can believe, and a positive way forward. Take care of yourselves.”

LÉA in Calgary

“Free, independent media is an asset in a democracy. I live in Alberta. You’re talking about us. You talked about us when Notley was premier, and you’re talking about us now that Napoleon is premier. And I’d rather your perspective than theirs. If reading you is rebellion, then rebellion is a good thing. You’re also funny. And smart. Too smart.

“I used to read you for free a few years back. Then I realized that it’s not fair for me to read you for free when I have to pay everyone else to read them. So I decided to pay you.

“Which makes me not that much of a rebel...”

TIM in Vancouver

“It was a sad day when news organizations, print and broadcast, realized that they could improve their bottom line by reporting on what sells and sizzles rather than what they think really matters. Independent media is less susceptible to this and provide more of what I would call a transparent view of the things that matter to me.

“The Tyee was my first online news and opinion platform. I started with it around 2005. As time went on I became a supporter and eventually a Tyee Builder because the coverage and the stories became more relevant to me and I felt that the money you raised was being wisely invested in the journalists and their work, diversity and inclusion was emphasized, and the stories were excellent.

“You continue to get better and I will continue to support that. Keep up the great work. I hope others will join in and sign up. The model is robust and is succeeding.”

KARLA in B.C.

“I was raised to be an independent, critical thinker so I could evaluate any statement, rather than be swayed by it. I value the same in the media I read. Without independence, content is invariably subject to influence and I object to that!

“The Tyee’s articles are ‘meatier’ than many I’ve found elsewhere, with links or references to more information if I want it. If I’m going to spend time reading, I want it to be time well spent. I appreciate the local West-Coast emphasis too.”

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‘The Tyee values what I value,’ says Arun, ‘a compassionate, responsible community.’ Thanks Arun!

ARUN in Toronto

“Supporting The Tyee is a no brainer. Independent media do not sell news to make money. They cover it to keep us informed... I support independent media because I want to live in a world that is not self-destructive and where I am not paying for wars and mining companies destroying the planet and people.

“The Tyee covers a large swath of human and planetary life. I value the careful writing that is not the breathless, breaking news kind of writing. I value listening to the voices of other dwellers of this country rather than of its so-called captains of industry and leaders. I feel that The Tyee values what I value: a compassionate, responsible community that wants to create as small a footprint as possible, so our children inherit something, although much diminished.”

PAUL in B.C.

“For years, I read The Tyee without ever supporting it financially. About six months ago, my wife and I watched a documentary that described how Gawker magazine was driven into bankruptcy by a very wealthy individual intent upon destroying the publication. The choice became clear. I had to support my favourite online magazine because I know how much I’d miss The Tyee if it were to suffer a similar fate.”

LORRAINE in St. Jerome, Quebec

“Independent media seems to be the only ‘real’ link to actuality and factuality.... All Tyee reporting seems to come from the heart of the writer and is not politically biased. As an example, the ‘What Are Oil Giants Doing to Stop Climate Change? Media Won’t Ask the Hard Questions’ article [by Sean Holman] and its enlightening links was devastating but yes, most interesting and in your face real.

“It is ever so refreshing to read the feedback from readers. Their pandemic occupational maps were fantastic!”

CHERI in New Westminster

“It’s not important that we all agree, but it is important that we all have access to the information required to formulate an informed opinion. Independent doesn’t mean that a journalist always take an anti-establishment position. But it does mean that they are not hampered by the politics of the owner, leaving the reader to take or discard the position and build their own understanding of an issue. A capitalized press or a state controlled one does not allow for independent editorial positions or thoughts to be transmitted.

“I like to think about the current issues, be challenged in my views and The Tyee does that for me. I do worry that as critical thinking is eroded and people are less capable of discerning the credible from the fictitious, that any independent media that survives will be preaching to the choir.”

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Independent media is ‘the way of the future’ says Wesley, who finds The Tyee an ‘informed breath of freshness.’ Thanks Wesley!

WESLEY in B.C.

“The Tyee is the way of the future — independent journalism free from advertisers and supported by readers. I’ve been a subscriber for 10 years. I’m First Nation and applaud your First Nation bias-free reporting. In this time of the Fraser Institute and similar ‘right’ publications advancing big business and the Jason Kenneys of the world, The Tyee is a welcome, warm, soothing and informed breath of freshness.”

TERESA in White Rock

“I followed The Tyee for years before I decided to contribute a little to help keep them as a source of independent media viable. I came to the conclusion that if I valued their well-researched journalism and thought provoking stories, I had a moral obligation. I want The Tyee to continue being successful.

“I can count on The Tyee to present more than one side to a story. I like to have all the facts and that means a well-researched article. Regular media usually sensationalize or just provide the information that big business or governments have as part of their agenda. I look to The Tyee to provide the other sides to a story, of which there are often many.”

Interested in learning more about The Tyee’s mission, principles and how we pay our bills? Click here.

Interested in becoming a Tyee Builder with either a one-time or monthly financial contribution of your choice? We’re aiming to add 600 new monthly supporters so we can keep up the pace and expand our newsroom. It’s easy, click here.  [Tyee]

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