UPDATE: "A media extinction event"

Friend, as the staggering number of news media layoffs continues to climb, even television giants like CBS are being forced to make cuts. The truly scary part is that no one knows how much worse it will get. These layoffs are coming at the worst possible time. From the pandemic to the economic meltdown to the protests across the country, the Trump administration has shown not just a complete disregard for facts, but an eagerness to lie to make Trump look good, deflect blame, and disparage anyone who challenges him. [Daily Kos is the country's largest progressive, independent news outlet and activism hub. Part of our mission is to hold Trump and his right-wing enablers accountable to their lies and misinformation. We don't have corporate sponsors or billionaire backers propping us up. Our work is primarily supported by readers like you chipping in a few bucks at a time. So, if you haven't already, please take a minute right now to start a $5 monthly contribution.]( [Or, if you can't contribute monthly, please click here to give $5 one time.]( Thank you, Michael Langenmayr, Daily Kos --------------------------------------------------------------- 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](.