Thanks to the many subscribers who have offered financial support to P & I in the future. I need to secure financial underwriting and arrange ‘back office’ support before we embark on fundraising. Thanks for your early response to this post. We will be in touch. John Menadue.
Susie and I are looking for organisational and financial support to ensure the future of P & I in ways that are consistent with the values and direction that we have pursued. Editorial independence is essential.
Many ‘family businesses’ face the problems that Susie and I face. We work on an entirely voluntary basis with no income. We do not pay any staff or contributors. We are not an incorporated company.
That cannot continue.
Subscriptions to our weekly or daily email notifications are free. There are about 7,000 subscribers, with about 5,000 reading daily from notification emails or internet searches.
Its success is due mainly to support by an excellent group of editorial contributors.
We are looking for two things.
First an organisation or company that we could contract to produce, provide technical support and promotion of P and I – a ‘back office’ blog manager.
Secondly, to fund this support, we need a person(s) or organisation that can provide or underwrite funding of $100,000 per annum for two years and so provide the space to raise that sum through monthly donations and other contributions. We think raising $100,000 per annum in this way is quite feasible.
Editorial content would continue to be provided by P & I colleagues and me.
Susie and I would remain active, but we cannot maintain our current level of activity.
We believe that the future of P & I can be secured but it needs organisational and financial support.
Can you help?
I can be contacted at john@staging-johnmenadue.kinsta.cloud
John Menadue
John Menadue is the Founder and Editor in Chief of Pearls and Irritations. He was formerly Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet under Gough Whitlam and Malcolm Fraser, Ambassador to Japan, Secretary of the Department of Immigration and CEO of Qantas.
Comments
18 responses to “JOHN MENADUE. Ensuring the Future of Pearls and Irritations”
Absolutely worthwhile, and I would be happy to subscribe and/or pledge a grant for each of the 2 years required for the transition to a sustainable model.
Many thanks
John Menadue
Yes, I can help. When, where, how … ?
P&I is essential reading, I do not wish to see it disappear. While some of the material I might see elsewhere, much I see only here.
Working on the future. Many thanks
John M
John – it is worth $100 a year ‘every day of the week’. Happy to pay it. Regardless of ones beliefs and views, it is a healthy platform for sharing informed comment. The irony is the advent of Uncle Donald has caused a resurgence in quality media. You need a commercial solution. Try talking to Bill Bishop of Sinocism and see where he got to with his model, China focussed but in many ways not unlike P & I. He recently conducted a trail with Axios which I guess exposed them to the next level of trial at a commercial level. He’d be happy to share ideas. Ask the corporates who value public voice e.g. Atlassian.
Many thanks John M
I value this great service and I am grateful to J & S M for their continuing gift. I would prefer to make a one-off donation of $500 to help establish a secure platform. I await news when the way forward is discerned and decisions taken to proceed. Too good to lose. The team of regular article contributors is exceptionally good. I like the quality control too. I dream of where we will be in five years if I make 80.
John, am a regular reader who values P&I greatly. It’s a no-brainer – Happy to subscribe/ contribute as suggested.
Many thanks. Working on it. JM
I’m a regular reader and would be happy to pay $100 per year or a bit more
Please let me know how to do it.
Thank you
Mary. Thanks but not yet. Working on it.John M
Happy to contribute financially. $2 a week is eminently reasonable.
P&I is my daily read, and I have gained many very useful insights from the stellar contributors.
Thank you John and Susie for your contribution to Australia.
As you know I have been concerned about this for some time.
Thinking outside the square: I wonder if it might be ‘cool’ to approach a smart technology ‘team’ / or create one: unisa; RMIT; University of Woollongong – all come at once to mind.
As part of their curriculum – that is, for ‘grades’ – skilled technicians might accept the task of running P&I, while their Commerce coevals might accept the task of creating a charity – an interesting little exercise in corporations and NFP consumer law – fundraising the $1000,000 (or more if the participants are to receive an emolument/ which they should if work is to be rewarded). Menadues would maintain editorial direction and control (that is: Independence + Menadue-quality) and a nice Rescue-Bid for Australian Cultural Values would have been achieved with extra benefits.
If this sounds eccentric, think-again. But I think it’s ‘do-able’.
John
Put me down. I assume that in due course you will establish a bank account so that we can pay our contributions into that.
I would be happy to pay $100 per year. How do I do it?
Kathy S
Thanks. Not yet
JM
Thanks John
My maths tells me if those 7,000 subscribers could donate a minimum of $100 each year, you would achieve more than what you’re asking.
Absolutely worthwhile – count me in.
Thanks.John M