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The Big Smoke launches crowdfunding for journalists

Opinion website The Big Smoke is offering writers the chance to have their work crowdfunded, through a new section on its website.

‘Their Voice, Your Shout’, The Big Smoke’s new section, comes after wider industry discussions about online media and plagiarism, particularly from investigative journalist Ginger Gorman, after Mamamia wrote through Gorman’s story which covered off a major investigation into childhood sexual abuse.

Readers will now be able to click on the name of the journalist in the section and go to their Patreon account  – an ongoing Kickstarter campaign which allows writers to be paid by their patrons.

In addition to selecting journalists, The Big Smoke will also offer audiences areas of interest to click through which will lead them to specific writers who specialise in those fields.

Writers will also be able to promote content they have written on the platform.

The Big Smoke publisher, Alexandra Tselios, said she wants the public to support writers directly.

“The Big Smoke has always been about building an ecosystem rather than being a traditional publisher. That is why our business model is an amalgamation of agency offerings within a publishing platform, so a section like this simply allows us to continue that ethos by showcasing writers and thinking of new ways to support communities.

“The Big Smoke receives no portion of the funding. It’s a commercial model – we can survive and expand by working with brands who understand the value of connecting with audiences in an impactful way.

“Journalists however, who often freelance for multiple publishers, are usually at the mercy of editorial decisions and even content theft. We want to nurture a platform that connects these writers directly with the readers who value and follow their work.”

Gorman said of the initiative: “In essence, I simply don’t agree that just because advertisers have always supported journalism, that the funding model has to stay this way. We’ve known for more than a decade that the so-called rivers of gold (classified advertising) are drying up. So maybe it’s time for us, the journalists, to think about new ways of supporting our work and maintaining a healthy media ecosystem that holds those with power to account.

“Perhaps crowdfunding won’t be the long-term solution to supporting quality journalism, but given the current state of play, it is certainly time to experiment and try new things and see how it evolves. I think we can all agree that in the current political climate here and overseas, the need for quality reporting is more vital than ever,” she said.

Gorman has also launched a petition to stop plagiarism in Australia journalism.

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