funding journalism

October 29, 2003 8:37 AM

Blogger Joshua Micah Marshall solicits funding so he can cover the Howard Dean campaign in New Hampshire. Readers respond with nearly $5,000 in 24 hours. See? You CAN buy that kind of coverage.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders (12 comments total)

In the interest of accuracy, he's going to cover the New Hampshire Primary, not the Dean Campaign.

I do think it's pretty cool, though, that the blogosphere can collectively determine whether or not it thinks some reportage is worth funding and actually come up with the dough.
posted by rocketpup at 8:44 AM on October 29, 2003

Where are you getting the idea he is going to cover (specifically) the Dean campaign? He says here that he's going to cover the primary in general.

Are you insinuating that the money was provided by the Dean campaign? If so, any evidence?
posted by crunchburger at 8:44 AM on October 29, 2003

Whoa! That was sloppy of me. I know it's the primary, not the Dean campaign specifically. My last comment was just a flip turn on the cliche. I'm not impugning JMM's journalism; in fact I read it regularly. I question, though, whether more NH primary coverage is really something we need.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 8:53 AM on October 29, 2003

I must say he more than deserves it, too. Talking Points Memo is one of my daily reads for its insight and depth into current issues. He's a voice I trust, and if it takes a few dollars from his readers to get him to places where he can better provide us with information, it's more than worth the out-of-pocket expense.

Note also that Marshall plans to itemize all of his expenses, and contact all contributors of money that exceeded his needs to ask if they want a refund of the cash or for him to move it into the TPM general fund.
posted by VulcanMike at 8:56 AM on October 29, 2003

This is excellent news. TPM is great.
posted by whatnot at 9:34 AM on October 29, 2003

I like Marshall a lot, but it'll get really interesting only if/when Krugman starts asking for money to run for the Senate.
posted by matteo at 9:42 AM on October 29, 2003

Yeah, seeing as how Josh Marshall is in love with Wesley Clark, I doubt this has much to do with the Dean campaign specifically.
posted by Ignatius J. Reilly at 9:44 AM on October 29, 2003

I question, though, whether more NH primary coverage is really something we need.

More tried-and-true canned-quote once-a-day horse-race primary coverage like we get from mainstream media every election? Nope, we certainly don't need it. What Marshall's proposing is blogging coverage - more dynamic and immediate than the type just described, if his performance on TPM daily is any indication. So, go Josh!
posted by soyjoy at 9:45 AM on October 29, 2003

Meanwhile, blogger xmutex solicits funds so he can sit in his boxers all day and drink beer while playing PlayStation.
posted by xmutex at 10:18 AM on October 29, 2003

Meanwhile, blogger xmutex solicits funds so he can sit in his boxers all day and drink beer while playing PlayStation.

I pledge (**checks pocket**) 13 cents!
posted by kgasmart at 10:36 AM on October 29, 2003

I would give Mickey Kaus some cash to shut up (see entry on TPM).
posted by subgenius at 11:37 AM on October 29, 2003

Newsmedia will eat itself, while blognews is the future (unless they start getting mainstream sponsorship).
posted by Fupped Duck at 8:09 PM on October 29, 2003