Online advertising budgets have been slashed due to the economic meltdown. Although this doesn’t affect loonies like myself, there are others who actually make websites for the common good. One of these sites was started by someone I went to highschool with, Rachel Sterne, and her site, GroundReport, is dedicated to democritizing news by splitting the ad revenue with the individuals who post to the website (and anyone can post- this means you!).
I can personally vouch that the site pays. I’ve made a few bucks, and if you consider that a few dollars US is still a month’s (or year’s) paycheck to many across the world, you can appreciate all the good that the site has done.
This is the message that was appended to my last payment:
Dear GroundReporters,
Thank you for your hard work over the past month– we’ve gained brilliant new contributors, broken stories on bombings in India, and launched a video project with YouTube.
This email contains instructions for claiming your earnings from GroundReport. Unfortunately, like just about everyone, GroundReport has been hit hard by the financial crisis, and we need your support and understanding to keep going.
After you read this, please tell 10 friends about GroundReport.com, and urge them to join our community. Together we can grow, thrive and democratize the media.
Thanks,
Rachel Sterne
If you want to help, all you need to do is go to GroundReport and check out some stories. There is reporting from all over the globe, maybe even your hometown. Write something and you’ll be contributing to those for whom a few Washingtons go a long way.
