Salon begs readers for money
February 23, 2003 7:02 PM   Subscribe

Salon is begging readers for money. Being unable to pay it's rent for the last two months, while losing $1.2 million during the final three months of 2002, editor David Talbot is asking his readers keep Salon in business through donations. Talbot paints his publication as the anti-WSJ, "in a time marked by conservative backlash and martial fever". Will Salon's loyal readers keep the "unauthorized" internet news source alive?
posted by Steve_at_Linnwood (15 comments total)

This post was deleted for the following reason: just discussed



 
Already discussed here.
posted by nicwolff at 7:07 PM on February 23, 2003


David Talbot's letter was not discussed there.
posted by Steve_at_Linnwood at 7:08 PM on February 23, 2003


SaveKarynSalon.com

I'll gladly donate to give David Talbot a Boob Job.
posted by Stan Chin at 7:11 PM on February 23, 2003


Not bloody likely.
posted by dcodea at 7:14 PM on February 23, 2003


This is new? Last week I saw a lot of anti-Salon invective on a similar Metafilter thread.

More to follow tonight, I'm sure. I don't get it, though. A pretty good daily news/opinion source, for a pretty good price.
posted by kozad at 7:15 PM on February 23, 2003


Boy, imagine my schock to see Ali G on the front page of Salon. Maybe I should send them a check.......naw.
posted by dcodea at 7:19 PM on February 23, 2003


I've always found their movie reviews to be much better written and more fun to read than those in mainstream publications. And while their leftward slant has gotten more and more noticable, Salon still finds angles and subtopics to stories that I don't see in the mainstream media. Like most people (I think), I don't want my media to be idealogically motivated, but granted that Salon generally is, they still have some fine writers.
posted by gsteff at 7:19 PM on February 23, 2003


XQUZYPHYR:

3. Give a "Make a Difference" subscription and enable people at participating community centers around the country to access Salon Premium.

Maybe it is just me, but asking readers to buy subscriptions for community centers sounds like asking for a donation to me. Maybe, that is just me.

And just for the record, Yes, I do read Salon (no I don't pay for it), and I do not read the FreeRepublic.
posted by Steve_at_Linnwood at 7:20 PM on February 23, 2003


Maybe it is just me, but asking readers to buy subscriptions for community centers sounds like asking for a donation to me. Maybe, that is just me.

Its really a donation to the community centers, not to the publication.
posted by gsteff at 7:21 PM on February 23, 2003


I am not taking glee in the supposed demise of Salon. I there is much there at Salon that is not politically driven. I am wondering if becoming more openly left is a good business idea for Salon, as some people have suggested that CNN do to counter Fox.

Its really a donation to the community centers, not to the publication.

Well Salon is still getting the money....
posted by Steve_at_Linnwood at 7:25 PM on February 23, 2003


Dear David Talbot, here's a hint. If you want to stand out from the crowd (and pay the bills) "in a time marked by conservative backlash and martial fever" then stop paying Andrew fucking Sullivan to republish his weblog on your site. Actually, sod it: let's bankrupt Salon, and force Sullivan back to the begging bowl. Or the Sunday Times: same difference.
posted by riviera at 7:28 PM on February 23, 2003


Salon unauthorized? Excuse me while I giggle uncontrollably. Maybe a few years ago; nowadays Salon consists of tired, predictable left-wing jingoism, stupid sex articles (sex doesn't sell everything, you know) in a transparent attempt to lure in more readers, who aren't that dumb, and fluffy content-free pieces on ... nothing. It's the Seinfeld of online journalism.
posted by IshmaelGraves at 7:29 PM on February 23, 2003


Salon claims to have 53,000 subscribers, at $30/yr, which would mean $1.5M not even counting ad revenues, which must be worth another mil at least.

Given that level of income, and the weakness of their content, they're either shoveling money into a Swiss bank account or stuffing it up their noses.
posted by BubbaDude at 7:47 PM on February 23, 2003


Apple should buy Salon.
posted by sudama at 7:48 PM on February 23, 2003


Whatever its faiings, Salon has the best analysis of Memento I've read.
posted by Armitage Shanks at 7:56 PM on February 23, 2003


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