Green Left Weekly\'s $250,000 Fighting Fund: People-powered media appreciated

May 17, 2008
Issue 

"Two things keep me sane", wrote in a Green Left Weekly subscriber with her payment for renewal, "Green Left Weekly and Radio National". She is just one of a large number of loyal readers and supporters of this important project for change.

Even in the exponentially expanding internet media "market", the modestly resourced and "people-powered" media (write in to order our latest GLW T-shirt with this message) continues to hold a leading spot.

Last week we received the following notification from Hitwise, a company that rates internet websites: "Congratulations! Hitwise is pleased to announce that www.greenleft.org.au is a Hitwise Top 10 Award winner for the quarter ending January — March 2008.

"During this period, www.greenleft.org.au ranked No. 6 based on market share of visits among all Australian websites in the Hitwise Lifestyle — Politics industry."

GLW's website, with 10-15,000 visits a day, regularly makes the top 10 in the politics category. A few years ago, we even made it to No 1. But since then the internet has developed massively, and keeping a high ranking in any rating has become harder.

But GLW's value is more than that of a reliable and outspoken progressive media outlet. We are also a powerful networking institution.

On May 14, a former GLW correspondent in Venezuela, Coral Wynter, was acknowledged in federal parliament by Greens leader, Senator Bob Brown, for her role in facilitating meetings between Brown and Hugo Chavez' socialist government in Caracas, Venezuela:

"In that city I held talks with members of the Chavez government. I was aided by Brisbane scientist and former resident of Caracas Coral Wynter and the Vice-President of the Latin American parliament, Dr Carolus Wimmer. The major topic of these talks was Ingrid Betancourt. I will come to her shortly. I am grateful to the Venezuelan embassy in
Canberra and its charge d'affaires, Nelson Davila, for assistance in arranging these meetings and facilitating my visit to Caracas ..."

Coral was in Venezuela to lead a brigade of Australian trade unionists who attended and gave greetings to the 750,000-strong May Day march in Caracas. She returned to Brisbane last weekend.

Since the last issue of GLW a "people-powered" effort raised $3444 for our Fighting Fund. The total amount raised this year is now $80,080 — 32% of our $250,000 annual target. Please show your appreciation for this important project by making a donation this week to the Fighting Fund at: Greenleft, Commonwealth Bank, BSB 062-006, Account No. 901992. Alternatively, ring in your donation by credit card on the toll-free line at 1800 634 206 (within Australia only), send us a cheque or money order to PO Box 515, Broadway NSW 2007, or donate online through Secure Pay at http://www.greenleft.org.au/donate.php.

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