We’re happy to provide the news for free. It keeps the paper accessible, which helps keep us more accountable (More readers = more feedback.)
Local journalism helps keep elected officials accountable, too. Did you know that government spending is higher in cities without local news?
Information is power. So we’d like to give you some.
According to our estimates, it cost $9,363 to produce the Jan. 11, 2024, issue of Boulder Weekly. The majority (60%) paid the salaries of your friendly neighborhood journalists (full-time staff and freelancers). The rest (about $3,000) went to operating expenses like rent, printing, bookkeeping, office supplies, web hosting and subscriptions for some of the technology we use.
That’s likely not the total amount. As an editorial staff, we’re not privy to all the financial information. But this is our best guess, based on what we do know.
Boulder Weekly is primarily funded by advertisements. We love the local businesses who advertise with us: They are literally our lifeblood.
But particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s become more challenging to sustain ourselves on advertising alone. It’s a tale you’re probably familiar with by now: advertising dollars drying up and, along with them, local journalism as traffic turns to less-lucrative online platforms where tech companies, not newspapers, profit.
That’s where you come in.
If you’re reading this, chances are that you value Boulder Weekly. Maybe it’s our unparalleled coverage of the local arts, culture and food scenes. Perhaps you appreciate our comprehensive events calendars. Or it could be that you have a nose for news and have come to rely on our voter guides, weekly roundups or in-depth explorations of the issues that matter.
Whatever the reason you read the Weekly, we’re glad you’re here. As we move into this brave new world of local news, consider paying for the paper you know and love.
Money from readers goes directly into the newsroom — it pays the people writing, editing and producing the paper. It gives us access to services that make for a prettier and easier-to-read product.
If you have a business, consider this: You can reach the 110,000 highly engaged residents of Boulder County who pick up our papers each week (according to a 2020 analysis) and/or the ~15,000 who read our newsletter.
If times are tight for you, no sweat. We’re journalists: We get what it means to pinch pennies. You can help support the Weekly in other ways, like letting us know what’s important to you through letters to the editor or juicy news tips.
The most important thing you can do is to keep picking up the paper each week. As always, thanks for reading.
You need the news. And the news needs you. Support Boulder Weekly with a one-time or recurring contribution.
