The Occupy Boston Globe has surpassed the funding threshold of $8,000 on its Kickstarter project, enabling the fledgling newspaper of Occupy Boston to come out of cyberspace and into the streets.
The Occupy Boston Globe has been publishing as an online newspaper since early October, about 10 days after the Occupation started. But the denizens of Dewey Square themselves have so far been the least likely to see a copy, since funds for printing hard copy versions of the newspaper were not available.
Like everything else that has happened as a result of the movement, The Occupy Boston Globe grew organically when a loosely connected group of individuals decided to focus in on a project. Today’s free and easy Internet allowed the group to start providing an online edition almost right away. Then the aspiring publishers started a Kickstarter project to raise the funds they thought they would need to print both a daily and weekly edition, the latter to be distributed not just in camp, but across Boston.
Kickstarter is a popular funding platform for creative projects, where The Occupy Boston Globe spells out its mission:
A group of us within the Occupy Boston encampment saw a need to provide more detailed, objective coverage of the events unfolding not only here in Massachusetts but across the country. Traditional media sources have served to raise awareness of our movement, but have thus far been inadequate in reporting on us as a group and as a diverse collection of individuals from across the social and economic board. Access to clear, accurate information is necessary for a true democracy to function; this is exactly what we want to give.
The Occupy Boston Globe was founded with a two major goals in mind: to provide accurate, in-depth accounts of Occupy Boston (including the broader issues that affect our movement) and to provide practical information on the goings-on at Dewey Square on a day-to-day basis.
With the $8,000+ they’ve raised through Kickstarter, the publishers have what they need to print and distribute at least two or three editions of the hard copy paper. They haven’t yet settled on what printer they will use, and distribution is still a question mark too. They may need to rely on their own manpower (and any volunteer help they get) in order to distribute it to all of the neighborhoods of Boston they would like to cover. They are also offering home delivery via mail to those willing to donate $40 or more to the Kickstarter project.
Now that funding has been secured, the print editions could hit the streets as early as the end of next week. If the newspaper is successful, the publishers will need to find an ongoing source of funding to meet the demand. It will be interesting to see how this Occupy-style enterprise turns out.
Read The Occupy Boston Globe online: http://occupybostonglobe.com/
Kickstarter STILL OPEN until SAT. OCT 29, 11:50 AM EDT:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/obg/the-occupy-boston-globe
Write for The Occupy Boston Globe: http://occupybostonglobe.com/editorial-policy/
8 Responses to “The Occupy Boston Globe Raises Funds to Launch Print Edition”
Are you guys gonna post a story about the heroin dealer living in your campground? How about a march or rally supporting hardcore drugs?
they are losing members daily, no need to print the truth. propaganda rag of the the obama campaign. Van jones? come on. Stop the hate, and try being a citizen. socialism won’t fly in Zmassachusetts. Maybe you can strive to be the last of the occupiers; we will see who that is in about 2 weeks. The people are watching and laughing at you
CALL TO ACTION TO OCCUPY BOSTON COMMUNITY
Keep spreading the word in print and online – per this opinion
“a second act is needed”. The second act in my opinion is mobilizing the online community, the virtual supporters to various CALLS TO ACTION – petition around various causes like money in politics, unemployment, housing, healthcare.
http://news.yahoo.com/risk-occupy-wall-street-less-media-interest-210404558.html
“Experts on social movements have said the protesters need a “second act” of sorts as fatigue sets in and as cold weather starts to descend on New York and other protest sites.”
Why don’t you spend the money on blankets and the other supplies you’re constantly begging to be donated, rather than blow it on a newspaper?
Having donated to Occupyboston (I brought in three blankets recently), I was treated afterwards by being called a wage slave and being apathetic by your media tent to your cause because I had to get to work – RIGHT AFTER HANDING OFF BLANKETS TO YOUR CAUSE.
I did support you. I marched one weekend with you. And then I was treated as garbage for helping you.
The money raised for this is completely separate from money being raised for OB and being used for things like winter supplies, clothing and food.
I am sorry you had a bad experience, but most of the people that help out also have jobs so I don’t know how or why this happened to you.
Melissa,
I was never there since I am an online supporter only – so I wonder what they think of me? I would like to understand the benefit of a newspaper as well. I think more needs to be done to mobilize the supporters who can’t be there with online CALLS TO ACTION – petitions etc.
It is too bad you had a bad experience. But I would say don’t let that take away from you the empowerment even when you can’t be there. I think this is OUR cause…something needs to change in our politics and economy…I hope you remain a supporter even if only a virtual one.
It’s hard to remain a supporter of people who are increasingly becoming hostile to the workforce they supposedly want to recruit as supporters and donators.
Right now, I don’t know where I stand. I support the right to free speech, but I don’t necessarily support Occupy Boston, given my experience and the increasing reports I’ve been hearing from friends and co-workers of treatment from the people at the camp as we walk past to work.
I realize it’s a “well, that’s just your experience” topic to be dismissed as a singular incident (and likely will be), but I am not the only one feeling this way. Occupy Boston needs to take some risk management measures.
Risk management starts with incidents being reported – so to you and your co-workers, please report these types of occurences to the organizers over there so that measures can be taken. If it WAS the organizers as you said “the media tent” then…that worries me. Get their name and post it here. I will check this blog frequently and hope to stay in communication as I hope you continue to report if this continues. Many of us work or have small children and can’t be there, but if that’s being “apathetic” or a “wage slave” and this is truly coming from the media tent, that is a problem.
Organizers, if you read this – what would you recommend to Melissa? Would taking the person’s name and reporting the incident be the solution?