The Texas Observer needs more of your money

 They're looking for $317K by the end of the year.

To that end, they've finally gotten smart enough to add two donor levels to their original Javascript screen of "supporter" at a paltry $11.87/yr and "advocate" at $48, which is higher than it originally was. "Defender" is at $71.88 and "muckraker" at $131.88. (I have no idea why these are the exact amounts, but it sounds like they could still learn something from NPR/PBS type fundraising.)

Speaking of?

If they get money, it will be "your" money, not mine." They still don't move the needle much on most their stories, and, while Counterpunch may not accept ads, The Nation does, and they're a local of The Nation, not Counterpunch. (Plus, NPR/PBS have "sponsors" if not ads.)

(Update, March 29, 2024: In fact, The Nation now has a Javascript screen, like many newspapers, saying: We see you have an ad-blocker on. Please disable it to continue reading our articles.)

And, more weirdly? On this donations page, the donation amounts do not align with what's on the Javascript. So, Observer, next time you write something about education, include yourself.

Back to the no-ads schtick. I discussed that and more this spring. Speaking of Counterpunch and the Nation, this time, it's both vs. the Observer, whether an articles-limit paywall (The Nation) or a premium section (Counterpunch), vs neither at the Observer.

Speaking of The Nation and Counterpunch in another way?

The Texas Trib has made the Observer as currently focused semi-irrelevant in my point of view. At one time, to look at the political alignment of national magazines, the Observer was Texas' version of, say, The New Republic or Mother Jones. Now? Though the Trib isn't that far out there, it is close enough to that at times, and is also perceived that way.

The Observer needs to more explicitly make itself Texas' version of at least The Nation, if not a Counterpunch or Alternet. (As well as getting a clue about a paywall, ads or both.)

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Update, Aug. 10, 2024: I don't even get their Javascript "please become a member" screen now with various membership price listings. That's after clicking to read more than half a dozen stories.