Mission

The Fund for Independent Journalism in Monterey County supports the sustainability, growth and innovation of local, independent journalism produced by Monterey County Weekly and Monterey County NOW. The fund helps support new digital media, investigative journalism and professional development.

The Big Idea

The struggles facing journalists throughout the US are noteworthy–in the past 17 years there are nearly 50% fewer journalists and newsmedia organizations nationwide (a loss of more than 35,000 journalists). Once thriving daily newspapers are shells of themselves while powerful social media websites have enabled the broad dissemination of misinformation.

Our local community is not immune to this trend.

The Fund for Independent Journalism was established to support the editorial mission of Monterey County Weekly and Monterey County NOW: reporting on the critical issues facing the community; holding both institutions and individuals accountable; spotlighting the ideas, leaders and organizations that make Monterey County a renown and unique community. While the newspaper, website and daily newsletter of the Weekly and Monterey County NOW remain free to readers, producing high-quality journalism is an expensive venture. The Fund for Independent Journalism for Monterey County supports this essential effort.

I have greatly appreciated your work for years and for having benefited freely from it. I am contributing a small amount now, quarterly, as a token of that appreciation.

- Adele N