Tough decisions in publishing led to massive layoffs. Here's how Daily Kos stays above water

Hey, I want to add one thing to Markos' email from last week. Late 2012 was a scary time for Daily Kos. I know because I was there. Layoffs looked inevitable at the time. As president of Daily Kos, I remember sitting down with Markos to discuss our options. When Markos says becoming a reader-first outlet was a big risk, he's not exaggerating. No one on our team at the time knew how to communicate with our readership—people like you—and get them to contribute. That meant we had to hire new staff right at the time looked it like we'd have to lay people off, then hope that the new hires could build new programs fast, or else we might have gone under. Readers like you came through for us in a big, big way. Like Markos said, we didn't just survive—we thrived! We've grown to almost four times the size we were, and we're the biggest progressive political news outlet in the country. That's all thanks to our readership—thanks to you. [I don't ever want to be back in a position like we were all those years ago. So, if you want to support independent, progressive media, then please click here to chip in $5 a month to help Daily Kos keep fighting.]( [Or, if you can't contribute monthly, please here to chip in $5 one time.]( Thanks, Will Rockafellow, President Daily Kos P.S. Here's Markos' email from last week. --------------------------------------------------------------- MARKOS' EMAIL: 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](.