CAF Note: Scoop’s contribution to free press globally is a modern day David and Goliath story.  Great reporting requires great publishers and enlightened owners to back them up – and Scoop has been there for scores of reporters and truthtellers around the world for many years. When the courts were not there, Scoop’s leadership on outing Enron and the people behind them played a critical role in making sure the court of popular opinion did work. Ditto on early transparency about the US mortgage bubble and fraud and corruption in the US federal finances – thousands of people knew how to protect themselves before the bubble burst.  Scoop changed the course of history with their support of 911 disclosure, UnansweredQuestions and Paul Thompson’s timeline, well ahead of the US press. All of this while sticking to the nuts and bolts of supporting literate citizens and democratic process in one of the most active, entrepreneurial, engaged countries in the world. You would do me a great honor by joining me in supporting the Scoop crowdfunding effort. No amount is too little. Every contribution is appreciated and counts!

by Alastair Thompson

At Scoop we believe that access to independent news and investigative journalism is a public right that is essential for democracy to thrive. But it is a public right that is eroding. Digital technology now enables a business model to be developed that makes news freely accessible to all citizens, and in which the news apparatus itself can be transparent. Creating this new kind of news organisation is what “Operation Chrysalis” is all about. We are taking a bold step to preserve the public right to access news.

We plan to transform into a not-for-profit media organisation held for the benefit of all NZers, accountable to the community of news communicators and consumers it serves.

Continue reading