This is an urgent appeal on behalf of a very important online news organization -- a fledgling participatory economics collective called The NewStandard -- which is presently at risk of having to close down for lack of funds.

The NewStandard's specialty is hard news coverage unreported or rarely reported in the corporate media.

TNS has been online for nearly a year, honing its skills and building its capacity to produce more content on more subjects. Having thus far relied on one-time donations, they are now seeking more sustained funding and desperately need new support.

We all know that the mainstream media neither meets public information needs nor properly or sufficiently portrays progressive views. But often for want of even knowing of their efforts and potential much less their needs, we allow vital projects to wither because we assume they will survive without our help or we consider them too

small to make a difference. Most of us probably never heard of some of the best alternative media projects of our time before they failed.

So we are posting to be sure you have heard of TNS and have a chance to find out about it and even act on its behalf while your concern can make a major difference.

The folks at The NewStandard already publish several news pieces daily on a variety of subjects and have the potential -- provided just a few hundred more people support them financially -- to eventually grow into an organization big enough to rival a mainstream newspaper.

Imagine the impact that a collectively run, nonprofit, progressive hard news publication could have for airing relevant issues, activism, and aims. Imagine being able to trust a media project to relentlessly investigate and hold accountable politicians and corporations. Imagine having a news organization to check the accuracy of the information we're fed by the government and corporations. Imagine having an outlet that provides mainstream America views challenging elites rather than servicing them.

Even if hard news-style reporting is not your personal priority and you yourself would only make modest use of a greatly enlarged TNS, there can be no doubt that millions of Americans appreciate the format. Social movements should be producing hard news publications to appeal more widely. Yet nearly no one on the left is doing what TNS does -- presenting information about our world based on progressive values in a hard news format that has the potential to penetrate the mainstream and appeal to people outside left circles.

Despite its miniscule budget, TNS pays progressive-minded reporters to ask tough questions and relentlessly pursue news stories from a popular perspective. Unlike the mainstream news -- which inherently adopts the viewpoint of advertisers, owners, and investors -- TNS looks at how stories affect the world where most of us live.

For the past year, TNS's tiny staff has published nearly every day, but their organization is at a critical juncture. They do not expect to continue past December unless they can generate a consistent, sustainable revenue stream.

That is where you can help.

They need new people to pledge to donate a small amount each month to The NewStandard on a regular basis. Please consider it. Please give what you can. By doing so you can help ensure that

TNS not only survives the winter, but thrives and grows.

You can find their site at http://newstandardnews.net/ to see their work and judge their merits and potential for yourself.

If you already know you want to donate, you can do so via this link: https://secure.peoplesnetworks.net/members/?ref=x-00000000