The Washington Independent, signing off

Source: Washington Independent

By Aaron Wiener

Nearly three years ago, The Washington Independent was launched as a bold experiment in online journalism. The idea was to combine hard-nosed investigative reporting with all the web had to offer: the nimbleness of real-time coverage, the interactivity made possible by this new thing called blogging, and the ability to create a narrative that was bigger than the sum of its parts.

... TWI has always relied on donations, primarily from foundations seeking to promote journalism in the public interest. Those donations began drying up long ago. I’m grateful to the American Independent News Network for keeping TWI alive long past the point when its expenses began exceeding its receipts. But it wasn’t sustainable, and today the bosses informed us they’re pulling the plug. On Dec. 1, TWI will begin mirroring the content of our network’s other national site, The American Independent. TWI’s reporters and I will look elsewhere for work.

... The crisis in the world of journalism today isn’t really about journalism — it’s about the bottom line. Reporters and editors everywhere are trying to find a way to keep their very good work alive. We thought our model had a chance. It put up a good fight.

Now it’s time to say goodbye.


Read more: http://washingtonindependent.com/103701/the-washington-independent-signing-off

subsidies and the support of the morons who vote for repukes.

Gotta have dirt under those nails, if you're gonna survive these days.

They were doing a lot of the same thing Josh Marshall's TPM does and was going for the same market. TPM (10 years old last Saturday) is from all reports profitable paying decent enough wages that he and his crew can live in NYC and in DC. I have to wonder if their funding model was realistic.