I recently had one of the best lunch conversations I’ve ever had with someone I’ve come to know better since starting The Post in February. We talked about the history of our city, the role of news media, and the future of both. As I reflect on that conversation, and similar chats with others in 2021, one word stands out: Gratitude.
I’m grateful for the sources I depend on for the stories I write. I’m grateful for everyone who sends a press release about an event in our community. I’m grateful for the patience of critics who press me to report on issues of importance. But most of all, I’m grateful for each and every person who has cheered me on this year, believing along with me that local news can better serve its community when it’s locally owned.
The Post has had the most amazing year. What started as a simple newsletter just 10 months ago, sent to only a handful of people, is now on track to being sent to 6,000 subscribers by the end of this month. The website, launched only a month ago, already shows 20,000 unique users have visited. Social media posts will have reached more than 200,000 people by the time the ball drops on New Year’s Eve.
The Post has been able to publish stories about Palm Springs that would not have been told otherwise. Stories like:
- The growing crisis of homelessness in the city that is particularly dangerous in the south part of town.
- The failure of College of the Desert to fulfill a promise made to voters to build a campus in Palm Springs, and the behind-the-scenes efforts by its former leader and current faculty to oust its new president and others.
- The first-ever map showing the volume of short-term vacation rentals in every neighborhood and the impact those rentals are having on our sense of community.
We want to tell even more stories in 2022. Will you help us do it?
Together, we built a brand new, trusted source of local news in 2021. Now it’s time to scale up to meet our community’s needs. Please support the Palm Springs Post today.
How did this happen? How did one old journalist, working out of his spare bedroom and running all around the city, find success so quickly? I had a lot of help! You, my readers, fuelled this journey by engaging in The Post’s stories, giving me feedback, sharing with friends, and telling me to keep going. We’ve been able to keep The Post locally-owned because this community stepped up to fund it.
In September, 486 of you became Founding Members, contributing $23,424 in funding so I could keep telling our stories. I didn’t build The Post alone – YOU built The Post. The Post isn’t successful because of me – it’s successful because of YOU.
There’s still a lot of work to be done, and more stories to be told. My goal in starting The Post was never to profit. Instead, I wanted to first build trust in the community, learn what news and information you wanted, then deliver it to you for free. I had many people raise an eyebrow when I said that, and a few doubt my sincerity. But I’ve stayed the course, and so far, enough of you have believed in this vision by supporting The Post that we can keep it free to all.
With your support, I’m hoping to hire some help in the new year. This will allow me to improve my focus and ultimately improve how The Post serves its community. Will you join me in committing to strong local journalism in 2022?
