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Plant-tending isn’t Jeanette Ageson’s strength. Right now, she’s happy to be keeping one plant alive in her home.
But as The Tyee’s publisher, she has been keeping the publication going and growing for the last six years.
“I see (being a publisher) as taking care of the organization and providing it with all the resources it needs so everyone can do their jobs,” said Ageson today.
Since The Tyee has been largely reader-supported for more than a decade, Ageson’s job looks different from a traditional publisher. She works on ideas for event programming, fundraising initiatives and some advertising strategy.
This year, The Tyee projects about 48 per cent of its budget will be contributed from its sole owners and main stewards Eric Peterson and Christina Munck. Reader support will comprise about 42 per cent of the budget, and the remaining is contributed from ads and special projects. (The Tyee doesn’t have a paywall — reader support is voluntarily contributed.)
In our new interview series “Three Things,” Ageson shared with outreach manager Emma Cooper a few points that make her hopeful for the future of journalism.
“We’ve always had to be quite inventive for how we’ve brought in revenue,” said Ageson.
And Ageson sees more opportunities for creativity and innovation as the pandemic sends traditional, ad-dependent news outlets into heavy cuts, layoffs and print suspensions when journalism is as essential as ever to public health.
The “golden age of journalism,” was golden for a reason, Ageson says. Anyone who wanted to advertise anything, publish a personal ad or obituary, or send coupons to would-be customers, had to do it in a newspaper.
“Those (features) were all quite profitable... but since then, all of those pieces have been blown up,” said Ageson of the many internet platforms to advertise and connect for free.
“Advertising is losing prominence, which will suck in the short term,” she said. “But other models are surging, like membership.”
Being reader-funded also helps outlets stay accountable and connected to their readership in a completely new way.
“We’re looking for people to support us because they see the impact of our reporting,” said Ageson.
And publications are more and more willing to share their new models amongst one another.
“There’s just a lot more experimentation going on,” said Ageson, “and it feels like there’s a community of practice of people who are trying stuff and talking about it.”
Watch the whole conversation here, and tune in next Wednesday when northern B.C. reporter Amanda Follett Hosgood will discuss allyship and journalism in the ongoing anti-racism push in Canada and around the world. You can watch it live on The Tyee’s Facebook page or YouTube channel. ![[Tyee]](/design-article.thetyee.ca/ui/img/yellowblob.png){kind=small}
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