Independent Movements Need Independent Media To Blossom

Numerous citizens in the United States recognize the country is in what can be referred to as a “movement moment.” There is a great need for independent political power to create alternatives to the establishments of both the Democratic and Republican Parties. Yet, equally important is the need to build independent media in order to provide citizens with alternatives to the corporate media.

For many, the stun has not worn off entirely. The Associated Press and NBC News rounded up superdelegates, and on the eve of one of the biggest days in the Democratic presidential primary, the media outlets pronounced Hillary Clinton the “presumptive nominee.” It effectively sent a message to voters in six states to stay home because, despite what they may have thought, they would not really matter in this election after all.

Here at Shadowproof, we believe what the AP and NBC News did was a massively corrupt act. All those media outlets, which followed suit by affirming the proclamation of Clinton as the nominee, should be ashamed of their organizations as well. As noted by National Nurses United executive director RoseAnn DeMoro at the People’s Summit, “There was not so subtle manipulation by the press” during the primary.

In order to keep up our reporting, we have to sustain our organization. We currently have 90 Shadowproof members, and we have doubled our membership since the last time we asked readers to help us by becoming members. We would like to reach 120 members this round.

Will you please become a Shadowproof member and donate $10/month to help us build a greater alternative to the corporate press?

Shadowproof launched nearly eleven months ago. During those months, we have expanded our organization into an independent media outlet, which is able to deliver comprehensive reports on how Democratic Party officials have brazenly subverted democracy at state meetings in Nevada and New York. We have developed our organization into an outlet, which pays specific attention to the efforts of citizens to influence electoral politics only to be stifled by the establishment.

We have positioned ourselves as an outlet that will produce essential reporting during the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. Journalist Rania Khalek will be there to witness what unfolds outside with massive demonstrations, and she will also collect firsthand accounts of what happens inside the convention center.

If Shadowproof has 120 members, it opens up the possibilities for us tremendously. Not only can we publish more freelance journalism from terrific contributors like Gadeir Abbas, an attorney who published a report on the terrorism watch list this past month, but we can also focus our attention on stories and trends that are sadly of no interest to the corporate press. We can also continue to publish sharp columnists like Roqayah Chamseddine, who provide much-needed commentary often missing in the media

Will you please help us continue the vibrant journalism citizens need to counter the political establishment by becoming a member, who donates $10/month?

As an organization, the less time we spend fretting about money, the more time, energy, and resources we can dedicate to putting together online events, which engage our readers, such as the interview we did with Jeremy Scahill. We are able to foster conversation among our community, which not only confronts the feelings of frustration and powerlessness among many of us but also amplifies the potential we have to transform the present into much more than just a “movement moment.”

Millions have paid attention to what has unfolded over the last months, and they know there is something deeply rotten at the core of our democratic society, which must be addressed. Many of these individuals came to this conclusion by seeking out independent media coverage of the election. They shared posts with their friends and family and contributed to a grand awakening. But the truth will not be written and disseminated widely if citizens do not fund sources of independent news reporting.

If you are someone who has grown to value our work at Shadowproof during the 2016 Election, we appeal to you to become a member and support our work. We will reward you with an unbridled commitment to exposing corruption and championing the movements, which seek to reverse the rot within our society.

Please donate $10/month and become a Shadowproof member today.