Guardian US has launched its end of year appeal, setting a goal to reach $1.25m reader contributions, to produce more high quality, independent journalism in the US.
With imperilled reproductive rights, an escalating climate crisis, growing income inequality, and democratic voting rights and norms under threat, 2022 will be a decisive year for America.
But sustained reporting on these issues requires resources. From reporting on the environmental catastrophe facing the people of Mead, Nebraska to giving a voice to two incarcerated facing deportation to Laos, the Guardian’s quality, independent journalism has never been more crucial. The money from this year’s campaign will help fund Guardian US’ reporting in 2022.
In 2021, Guardian US conducted a nine-month investigation on alarming levels of forever chemicals, arsenic and lead in samples taken from water systems across the US, exposed laws that keep Black and Latino Californians in prison, revealed the Facebook loophole that lets world leaders deceive and harass their citizens, exposed links between government officials and far-right groups and reported on threats to US democracy.
Jane Spencer, deputy editor and head of strategy at Guardian US said:
“As we near 2022, it’s clear that it will be a decisive year for America. The climate crisis is escalating, voting rights are under threat and wage inequality is growing.
“Guardian US is committed to in-depth reporting on these issues and we couldn’t do it without the generosity of our readers whose support powers our journalism.”
John Mulholland, editor of Guardian US, said:
“When US readers are asked what they value about Guardian journalism, three themes are constantly repeated – independence, reliability and facts.
“The Guardian is unique in the US media landscape because of its ownership structure with no shareholders or owner - all funds we raise from this important appeal will help us to continue to produce the agenda-setting, public interest journalism that our readers come to us for.”
Crowdfunding has been a successful revenue driver for the Guardian’s US operation, which has run four successful fundraising campaigns – This Land is Your Land, Toxic America, Break the Cycle and The Mother Load and three previous end of year appeals.
In the last 12 months, Guardian US has seen recurring contributions increase by 25% and overall digital reader support (recurring contributions and digital subscriptions combined) grow by 15%. US traffic accounts for 30% of the Guardian’s total online browsers and over 50% of the Guardian’s digital reader revenue comes from outside the UK.
Guardian US recently celebrated its 10th anniversary, its coverage of the climate crisis, inequality and global investigations have been a differentiator since launching in 2011. The operation has also shown a deep commitment to solutions journalism, collaborating with a number of organisations, including the Economic Hardship Reporting Project (EHRP), to report on issues affecting people in some of the most underrepresented communities in mainstream media.
Notes to editors
Link to the Guardian US end of year appeal page
About Guardian News & Media
Guardian US is renowned for its Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation into widespread secret surveillance by the National Security Agency, and for other award-winning work, including The Paradise Papers. Guardian US has bureaus in New York, Washington D.C., New Orleans and Oakland, covering the climate crisis, politics, race and immigration, gender, national security and more.
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