Re: This is a short but important email about the future of Daily Kos.

Friend, from the global pandemic, to the economic depression, to the nationwide street uprisings, it is hard to remember a time when there was more news to consume. And yet, despite this, news media outlets are making layoffs by the tens of thousands. How can this be? There are two primary reasons. First, as businesses close and people lose their jobs, less money is being spent on advertising. Second, the growing dominance of Facebook and Google over the digital space gives those two companies an ever-increasing share of what little advertising money is still being spent. The reality for news media companies is that advertising dollars, even when audiences are huge, are simply not enough to sustain operations at their current levels anymore. This is why you see even media giants like CBS making hundreds of layoffs now, as my colleague Amanda McKay discussed in her email below. This is also why, at Daily Kos, grassroots donations from our community of readers and activists have become our largest sources of revenue. We are not immune to the difficulties that other news media companies are facing, and it is difficult for a small business like ours to compete with tech giants like Facebook and Google. [In order to continue providing news you can do something about during these momentous times, we need support from readers like you, Friend. That's why I'm asking, if you can, to making a monthly contribution of $5 to Daily Kos.]( [Can't give monthly? A one-time donation will still help us keep fighting. Please click here to give $5.]( Keep fighting, Chris Bowers Executive Campaign Director, Daily Kos P.S. The email that my colleague Amanda McKay sent you over the weekend can be seen below. --------------------------------------------------------------- Friend, this week CBS News joined Buzzfeed, Vox, Vice, and scores of other news media outlets in making the hard decision to layoff staff. [CBS laid off hundreds of employees](, including many seasoned journalists. Every single sector of our economy has been affected by the financial fallout in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. But media companies, many already hit hard from falling advertising revenue in previous years, are now being gutted by layoffs, furloughs and salary cuts. These slashes to media companies could not come at a worse time. As a country, we are facing an unprecedented viral pandemic, resulting in an economic crisis the likes of which we haven't seen since the Great Depression. People are desperate for facts and guidance to help navigate these uncertain times. The Daily Kos staff has worked around the clock during these uncertain times, publishing over 2,000 articles since the start of the pandemic. There have been hundreds of stories published on the site about the spread of the virus, its impact on our economy, the government's response and even how to cope with our new normal. Beyond that, Daily Kos isn't just a news site, we provide you with the tools to take immediate and impactful action about what you are reading. So far, our readers and activists have taken over 3.5 million actions demanding that our elected leaders not only protect our health, but safeguard our livelihoods during these hard times. [But no matter how much work we produce, it doesn't mean we are immune to the difficult decisions that other digital media companies are facing. The main reason why Daily Kos continues to operate at the level you have come to expect is because of the thousands of readers and activists like you, Friend. They have supported the work that Daily Kos does by donating a few dollars to help keep our operations going. Grassroots donations are now our largest source of revenue, that's why I am asking, if you can, to help Daily Kos by giving $5 today.]( Thank you for all you do, 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](.