We’re baaaack… did you miss us?
I ask because over the break I received more than a few emails from people complaining about the lack of content over the Christmas period.
So I thought I’d tell you a few hard truths, so you can understand why it was that we really needed a good long break.
We have not had a break in producing this site (and others) for well over ten years, probably more if we really try hard to think about it. Doing what we do is almost a 24/7 operation, subject to the need for sleep. It is relentless, it is exhausting and it has its negative effects. I’ve had a stroke, one that despite five years of effort still takes its toll. The strain has been enormous and unrelenting, even when I took years off to recover. The strain and toll have affected others too.
Juana has battled, and still is battling, cancer, and she is the very best editor I have ever worked with. But the strain takes its toll.
Last year was tough for us. We had an election to cover, I had a new radio show to crack in to and I organised Avi Yemini’s book launch. It was frantic, it was busy and we just got stuck in and provided you with the content you value. But we didn’t focus on the business, and now we must or it will disappear.
In December we took the opportunity to essentially do nothing for a month because we had simply run out of puff, and it pissed a few of you off.
Well, good, because you literally have no idea of the toll it takes to deliver what you expect. It’s tough, it’s hard, it’s taxing and it’s exhausting. We aren’t super-human: even we need breaks.
So if you were pissed off, good. Because you were getting a taste of what it would be like without us.
The mainstream media are about as satisfying as week-old brown bread. We are people’s lifeline to sanity. We talk about the things the mainstream dares not to.
But I’ve got to be honest: in December we thought we might just jack it all in. We’ve done enough. We’ve fought for you, through the tough times of the Ardern years, to the free speech battles to the gender wars and now the ongoing conflict as Israel seeks to defend itself from relentless terror and antisemitism.
But we are back for another year. But, again, I have to be honest with you: the ones who complain the loudest are also the ones who contribute the least.
That’s annoying, really bloody annoying.
People contribute in a multitude of ways, from volunteering to keeping everything running, from the absolutely brilliant moderators to the equally brilliant proofreaders, to Lyn our weekend editor, the guys and gals who produce the polls, quizzes and plenty of other content to boot. And of course, we mustn’t forget our loyal members and our donors.
But it’s tough. People like to use their memberships as a cudgel to beat us with. They say if you don’t change this then I’m out, or you said something and I’m offended and therefore I’m out, or I’m a member and I’ll break the moderation rules if I want and if you ban me I’m out, or they just quietly quit without saying anything.
Look, we are never going to make everyone happy, and nor should we. The people who threaten us like that make life harder not easier. Every cancellation makes us start to think why the hell should we bother?
Everyone who contributes to this site in whatever way by volunteering or becoming a member enriches this site. Those threats and dummy spitting are as much an insult to them as they are to me and Juana.
If you aren’t contributing, then ask yourself why that is.
It can’t be because it is too hard: it really isn’t.
It can’t be because of the content: otherwise, why are you here?
It can’t be the comment section being toxic, because it just isn’t.
In fact, I’d go further and suggest we have the best-moderated comment section of any media in New Zealand.
So what is it? We don’t know, because you don’t tell us. But we know that our membership is about five per cent of the readership.
We take no government funding and we only have a modest income from advertising. The vast bulk of our revenue that pays for everything this site produces is provided by those five per cent who are contributing through their wallets.
The mainstream media prostituted themselves to the Government via the Public Interest Journalism Fund. They’ve been at war with our way of life and our way of thinking. They’ve snuffled trotters-deep in the public trough. They were Ardern’s little handmaidens in seeking to control and stamp all over our rights. And since the election they have acted as the enemy of democracy, seeking at every opportunity to undermine a democratically elected Government at every turn.
Think about that for a minute: think about what would happen if we decided to close up. Think about where you’d be without us.
Now you might think I am being melodramatic, but I can assure you that over the past month, we have had those thoughts and more.
Some days it is just too hard, but we aren’t quitters. Neither are most of our members and none of the many support staff volunteering because they believe in the mission.
Do YOU believe in our mission? Do YOU want us to continue?
If the answer is yes, then how about making the leap and becoming a member or making a donation?
You may think we are creaming it. I can assure you we are not. There are much easier ways to make money, and some days it is tempting to just throw my hands in the air and just say ‘stuff it’.
We love what we do, but we aren’t a charity. So, here’s the hard bit: we may just make the site members only. After all, they are the people who value us the most. We don’t want to, but something sooner or later is going to have to give. Because we’ve given, and given and given, so much so it has hurt our health and wellbeing.
So whilst this is the first missive from me this year, it is a serious one, and for those who know me then you’ll also know that I speak plainly and I mean what I say.
It’s time. It’s time for those of you who are free-loading to consider the negative effect that free-loading has on the site.
It’s time for you to become a member, or to donate. Because if you don’t then who knows what may happen, and I don’t see any other conservative media sites getting even close to what we do or can achieve.
For those who already contribute in many of the ways I’ve outlined, thank you. You are the very best of Kiwis.
Everyone else? Please consider taking out a membership plan or donating below.
I put the photo of me and Avi on this article because he and all the team at Rebel News inspire me to keep going. We might be called The BFD, but we are New Zealand’s rebel team. Join the team and let us say what you are thinking.
That’s all for now. Tomorrow I’ll be back into politics. I promise.
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