Personal fortunes only go so far, and Peter Gamble's has gone as far as it can go.  He used it to fund the start up of BlackCommentator.com.  After all, on the list of truly worthy causes, BlackCommentator.com ranks high.  Nonetheless, when Glen Ford and Peter began BC over four years ago, both knew that at some point, funding would have to come from elsewhere.

Originally, the business plan called for reliance on advertisers, but it quickly became apparent that accepting advertising dollars meant accepting Corporate dollars.  More often than not, Corporate advertising income meant Corporate strings, an idea abhorrent to Glen and Peter, and antithetical to the mission of BlackCommentator.com.  So, Peter continued to spend his own funds to keep the BC voice growing into the publication it is today; 174 issues of commentary, analysis and investigations affecting African Americans.  What few ads there are come from those wanting only to advertise their products or services, without any editorial input as to the content of BlackCommentator.com.

Judging from the email BC receives, Glen and Peter have hit their mark.  According to the data analysis, there are well over 100,000 individual readers who visit the website each month, and the number continues to grow.  The BC readers tell us they are black, white, brown, wealthy, educated, poor, middle income, high school dropout, a professor, a doctor, an inmate, a teacher, male, female, religiously affiliated, religiously unaffiliated, a US citizen, a Haitian living in what was described as "enslavement on a plantation".  For the positive effect BC has had across what are often viewed as unconnected segments of the world population, Glen and Peter are grateful and feel fulfilled in their mission.

That mission began in the mid-'70s, when Peter joined Glen at the Mutual Radio Network in Washington, DC, where they served as radio anchors, White House reporters, State Department correspondents and much more.  (You can read their biographies on the About Us page.)  Their friendship has lasted over three decades, and has been based on a shared, uncompromising sense of economic and social justice.  They have collaborated on many projects including television's America's Black Forum, political media campaigns, and eventually BlackCommentator.com.

Last year, a Corporate controller and MBA fled the Big Corporation world and joined the group.  One of her first assignments was to find a way to keep BC financially viable.  She took a look at the readership data, admired the hell out of Glen's and Peter's refusal to be bought by Corporate dollars, and voila!  The idea of asking for BC Paid Subscribers and BC Contributors was born.  Surely, many of those 100,000 readers would want to support BlackCommentator.com.

Along with all the details of getting online paid subscriptions set up, the folks at BC couldn't help but fantasize how that subscription money could fund projects to reduce the "digital divide" in our country.  Imagine an internet café where people without computer access could get online for free, take courses in how to use a computer, take courses in how to use income-generating software.  Imagine providing the equipment for home-based computer users to make a living.  They even kick around the idea that, with a huge response from BC Paid Subscribers and BC Contributors, they could partner with a bank to funnel money to Katrina victims in an effort to restore communities that stand at the brink of "gentrification".  There's more:  scholarships, paid interns, funding a progressive "think tank" (the Left's answer to The Heritage Foundation and the American Enterprise Institute).  All of that and a reversal of Peter's negative cash flow, too.  Oh, the vision is grand.

It is important to BC to make sure that no one is cut off from BlackCommentator.com. because of money concerns, so they made sure that BC would include four key things:

BC truly appreciates the generosity of those who have become BC Contributors, those who have purchased a BC Paid Subscription, and those who asked for a Complimentary BC Paid Subscription so that they could continue to support BC with their readership. 

But what of the rest of those 100,000 readers?  What about the rest of you?  What of the idea of keeping the BC voice alive?  As of this writing, a few hundred generous readers have spent $50 on a subscription. About 20% of those have also become BC Contributors. BC has given away many more Complimentary BC Paid Subscriptions than has been covered by contributions. You don't need to be a finance wizard to realize that the financial support of these socially and politically responsible BC Paid Subscribers/Contributors is not enough to keep BC going.

Glen and Peter are not going to accept Corporate strings with Corporate dollars.  Period.  It's up to you, the BC reader to keep BC online.  The well of start up money for this venture has lasted for 174 issues.  It is imperative that BlackCommentator.com become self-sustaining through BC Paid Subscriptions and the generosity of the BC Contributors.  If you want to continue to read and rely on the excellence of BlackCommentator.com, and have the means, please show your financial support and become a BC Paid Subscriber/Contributor  This link will take you to the Sign Up Page:

http://www.blackcommentator.com/signup.php

For those of you in education and social services, contact Nancy Littlefield, BC Staffer and [email protected] about obtaining a group subscription.

KEEP THE VOICE OF BC ALIVE!!!

Need more inspiration to send in your $50?  These are some of the comments that have come in from BC Paid Subscribers:

Thank you, everyone who has given their financial support to BC.  We hope to be around for a long time, too, and we will - with your help. 

Come back to The Voice of BC Paid Subscribers next time, and see if we've published your comments!

If you have any questions about how to become a BC Paid Subscriber and BC Contributor, you may reach Nancy Littlefield, BC Staffer, BC Paid Subscriber/Contributor at [email protected].