In the age of Trump, independent media is more important—and in more peril—than ever

Friend, last week was scary for American media: About 1,000 people were laid off by major outlets, including Buzzfeed and the Huffington Post. Nearly 400 were let go from news giant Gannett alone. These people are editors, support staff, and writers—including at least one Pulitzer Prize finalist—who worked to report news stories, check facts, edit, and promote important content getting too little attention. In the age of Trump, this work is absolutely critical. Daily Kos is the biggest progressive news outlet in the country, but we’re not immune to the pressures of digital publishing. Just six years ago, Daily Kos was on the verge of making layoffs. We pulled through those dark times and emerged stronger for it because of the strength and dedication of our amazing community, but this week's news reminds me that things weren't always so good and that we could again in the future face some tough decisions. [Daily Kos is an essential news source, and in the wake of last week's media layoffs, we need your help to expand our coverage so we don’t lose ground to right-wing outlets like Fox News, Breitbart and Sinclair Broadcasting. Please chip in $5 a month to support independent, progressive media.]( [Can't chip in monthly? Click here to chip $5 one time.]( Why are so many media outlets struggling right now? Simply put: The state of digital media is in flux—and it’s very, very bad for publishers. Facebook and Google have effectively duopolized ad revenue, running smaller media sites and news publications out of business. And it’s going to get worse before it gets better. Daily Kos recognized this problem early and we acted fast. Ad revenue stopped being sufficient to fund our operations in late 2012, and so we turned to you, our readers—and you’re not just any readers, you’re some of the most dedicated and kick ass progressive activists in the country. Becoming a reader-first outlet was a big risk, but it’s allowed us to stay independent. We don't have billionaire backers or vulture capitalist firms propping us up to push their own agenda (thankfully!). We have hundreds of thousands of readers like you who want us to be bold, fearless, truthful; to call out right-wing hate and hypocrisy, and to push a progressive agenda that will move our country forward. [If you want to see more independent, progressive media and not less, click here to start a $5 recurring monthly donation help Daily Kos keep fighting.]( [Or, if you can't chip in monthly, please click here to chip in $5 one time.]( Thank you, Markos Moulitsas Founder and Publisher, Daily Kos If you wish to donate by mail instead, please send a check to Daily Kos, PO Box 70036, Oakland, CA, 94612. Contributions to Daily Kos are not tax deductible. Sent via [ActionNetwork.org](. To update your email address, change your name or address, or to stop receiving emails from Daily Kos, please [click here](.