Re: Layoffs

Friend, people are eager for facts and real guidance in these uncertain times, but they are harder to come by than ever. The declining economic condition of the news media, with tens of thousands of jobs lost in the last two months, is facilitating the spread of disinformation and conspiracy theories on social media and Fox News. The failure of the Trump administration to adhere to scientific facts in its response to the pandemic makes the situation even more perilous. Daily Kos has seen the number of people coming to the site has more than doubled in the last three months. That's because the Daily Kos News team has doggedly reported the facts on COVID-19 and covered every angle of the virus's impact; from its emergence in China, the economic fallout, how hospitals are coping and our government's response. Daily Kos isn't just about news—it's about action. We connect our readers to things they can do to make change on the issues they're reading about. Daily Kos activists have taken over 3.5 million COVID-related actions -- like calling and sending letters to their members of Congress demanding a relief package that would protect our families, save the United States Postal Service from bankruptcy, and provide people with access to safe and affordable healthcare. [Americans are seeking out real facts and clear guidance during the coronavirus crisis. Daily Kos is here to deliver the real facts. Daily Kos staff has been working around the clock, not only to give you facts you can rely on, but to provide the tools to make your voices heard. We will never stop fighting for you, but as a grassroots funded organization we can only go as far as your small donations will take us. Please help us continue our work during this time of crisis by giving $5.]( Keep fighting, Amanda McKay, Daily Kos P.S. below is the email we sent a few days ago about the impact the virus is having on many media companies around the country and the hard decisions they face --------------------------------------------------------------- Friend, we are in the middle of a global pandemic and one of the worst financial crises most of us have ever experienced. We lack any sort of national leadership and people are desperate for answers and guidance. Big Tech has gobbled up advertising dollars that once helped journalists make a living, allowing social media platforms to grow ever larger while traditional media companies are forced to make tens of thousands of layoffs. This toxic combination of events allows conspiracy theories about the coronavirus to run rampant. Most of these [conspiracy theories]( give people a false sense of security. Some people think that it is all "fake news" and that masks and social-distancing aren't necessary. People are getting sick and delaying seeking treatment because they don't believe the severity of this virus is real. It doesn't help that Trump stands behind the presidential seal and feeds conspiracy theories like the virus came from a lab in China, that unproven drugs will cure you if you get sick, or that the media and Democrats were sensationalizing the threat of the coronavirus to hurt him politically. We need independent media more than ever to get the facts about COVID-19 out to the public. Unfortunately, more and more media outlets have been hit hard by the financial fallout. An estimated [36,000 people in media have been laid off, furloughed or seen their salary cut](. We can see the consequences of this all around us as states re-open even though the pandemic continues to ravage the country. This is a taste of a future without independent media. [Daily Kos is not immune to the challenges that many media outlets are facing. We have experienced high anxiety about our revenue since coronavirus took a hold in the country. Grassroots support from readers and activists like you, Friend, is now our largest source of income. That's why I am asking you to support Daily Kos -- so we can continue providing progressive news and the tools to make immediate action -- by giving $5 today.]( Keep fighting, Amanda McKay, 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. (Please note that we may be slow to process checks during the coronavirus outbreak.) 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](.