In January 2013, I instituted a voluntary PayPal “donation box” for the Rogovoy Report (immediately to the right of this note), so that those who regularly enjoyed my efforts to cover the region’s cultural scene on my website and in my various e-newsletters could help support my efforts.
The response was overwhelming and quite encouraging – it demonstrated that people place a value on my work, and it helped me focus more on delivering the work that readers wanted to see, and less on wasting time trying to hustle after other streams of income, including online advertising, which still remains a significant means of supporting my efforts, but takes a lot of time away from what I do best, and what readers presumably would like to see from me.
The need for reader support, however, remains, especially more than a year after the initial outpouring of support.
What works especially well is those who have chosen to make recurring payments — $5, $10, or $20 per month. It provides a steady stream of support that I know I can count on.
And thanks once again to all those who have contributed in the past and will continue to contribute in the future.
Reminder: contributions to the Rogovoy Report are not tax-deductible, but they do support my efforts to provide independently owned, non-corporate, locally based cultural journalism free of charge. Think of the Rogovoy Report as your community-supported news service.