EDITOR’S NOTE: A Buck a Month Is All We Ask
Access all of Queen City Nerve's editorial content for $1/month
I haven’t written an Editor’s Note in a while, mostly because any thoughts I have to share with readers get dumped into our thrice-weekly newsletter before they can make it onto our website, but today I have some news I want to share specifically with our website readers.
That’s because today we are implementing a new policy on our website that for years we have promised we never would: the dreaded paywall. BUT WAIT, don’t reach for that X button out of pure rage. Let me explain.
It’s important to mention that our new paywall costs just a buck a month — one single dollar.
We know that we live in uncertain times, economically and otherwise, and we’re not looking to take any meaningful chunk out of your monthly budget. But those uncertain times have impacted us as well.
While we still offer free community journalism in different mediums — the print issue that we publish every two weeks and the newsletter that we send out three times a week — we’re now asking for one buck a month to access all the content we ever have and ever will publish on our website.
This is not an action taken out of greed but out of need. We’ve been able to sustain over our first seven years thanks to advertisers and our loyal paying members, for whom we continue to be eternally grateful (please join if you’d like to support our work).
But we still operate like a startup on a shoestring budget — paycheck to paycheck, if you will. This year’s dip in advertising has put us in a financially unstable position, and while we’re not considering shutting down altogether, it’s clear that we can’t go on forever without some backstop to provide us more stability.
This move won’t make any of us rich, but it will allow us to continue providing the community journalism that we’ve become known for — reporting that over the last two weeks alone has brought you inside the housing crisis from the vantage point of folks displaced from a hotel in north Charlotte, gave voice to advocates and organizers pushing back against the aggressive actions of federal immigration agents in Charlotte, and informed citizens of how the city’s largest university is firing staff members for even discussing DEI.
All that while continuing to cover the local music, arts, culture and food scenes in a way we feel is unmatched throughout the city.
So please, if you’ve got a buck to spare for a month of such reporting, we’d love to have it, and we’ll continue working just as hard as ever to continue bringing you the coverage our community deserves.
As a long time reader, I enjoy the (hyperlocal) content that the Nerve provides. It is unfortunate that the Nerve isn’t able to sustain itself through advertising alone because local journalism serves an important market that is often overlooked by national headlines produced by major outlets.
I often hold a dissimilar viewpoint on topics printed in the Nerve but I believe it is important to read, listen to, and discuss different opinions to try and understand the context behind those beliefs and where/why my own personal experiences impact my perception.
The explanation of reduced advertising budgets stemming from “the fickle and erratic actions of our president” as the cause of the paywall seems insincere and should be substantiated with (anonymous) anecdotal information, if possible. I understand that a letter from the editor is not intended to be a factual article, but this feels like passing the blame. I’m not seeing the same issues from other local media outlets and think it’s possible that the Nerve’s advertising strategy has missed the mark.
Hi John,
Thank you for being a longtime reader. I really appreciate your thoughtful and honest comment.
I agree with you that attributing our new structure solely to one factor, particularly something as broad as the current political climate, can come across as a bit reductive. That said, I want to clarify a few things.
As editor, Ryan isn’t involved in the business strategy or day-to-day revenue discussions, so including more detailed (even anecdotal) explanations in his note wasn’t feasible. That insight really falls within the purview of myself and our sales and marketing team, who are more directly familiar with the revenue shifts we’ve experienced.
I’d also gently push back on the idea that our advertising strategy has missed the mark. It’s actually served us quite well for the past seven years. But our model is distinct from many other local outlets, some of which already operate behind paywalls, charge for individual pieces, publish sponsored content, or are supported by nonprofit funding and philanthropic contributions.
Either way, I truly value your engagement with the Nerve and hope you’ll consider becoming a digital subscriber so we can continue these conversations. Local journalism thrives on readers like you who care enough to ask questions and challenge perspectives.
Thanks again,
Justin LaFrancois, Publisher & Co-Founder
I even decided to add a quick Publisher’s Note to this article to convey that message thanks to you
Im sorry. I lost employment recently and can’t afford your financial stipulation. I hate to make the request of having you to delete my contact information. But I have no other choice. Ive enjoyed being informed by your organization in the past. Wishing you the best.
Dewitt
hervin1956@yahoo.com