I’m not going to lie: It’s tough out there. Trust me, I know.
And I’m not just talking about the political angst we all face, evident in the barrage of political ads we’re forced to see every day or the sad excuses coming from the administration as it clashes with the free press.
I’m talking about the daily financial struggle. The increasing cost of groceries, gas and everyday life. Every bit of the pain you feel in your household budget is echoed in the checking accounts of the organizations that support this community.
Even this one.
I’m a believer in free, local LGBTQ+ media. I drank that Kool-Aid almost 25 years ago when I started working at Watermark. I saw what Tom Dyer built for our community and I wanted to be part of it.
Local media connects its community. Good or bad, we tell you what’s happening. Who is doing the good work, who could do better and how it affects you. Mainstream outlets will cover our community occasionally, but publications like Watermark Out News cover us every day: news for our community, by our community.
So much has changed since those early days.
The cost of producing the newspaper has gone up. Much of the paper used to print our publication comes from Canada, and changes in trade policy and tariffs have added expense to an already costly product.
But it’s not just the newspaper. How people consume news has changed. To do our job effectively, we’ve had to adapt. That means websites, social media, newsletters, videos, podcasts and more. Every new avenue requires new expertise, new technology and, inevitably, another software subscription.
Like I said, I know we aren’t alone. Show me an organization supporting the LGBTQ+ community and I’ll show you an organization that needs your support.
And that includes Watermark Out News. If you value free and trusted LGBTQ+ news, here are seven ways you can help:
1. Make a donation. If just one out of every 100 people reading this column gave $25, it would make a tremendous impact. Will you be that one?
2. Support our advertisers. Pick up the paper, flip through our digital editions, visit our website and read our e-newsletters. When you see an advertiser, support them. When some companies are running for the hills to avoid anything deemed too “DEI,” we need to recognize those willing to stand with us. Click their ads, visit their businesses and tell them you saw them in Watermark Out News. Support those who support us.
3. Sign up for our e-newsletter. When you get it, open it and click through to the website. It sounds simple, but those actions help us demonstrate an active, engaged audience — something incredibly valuable to advertisers and to us.
4. Visit our website and consider accepting our cookies. I know this one might be controversial, but it’s important. Advertisers want reliable audience statistics. Watermark isn’t interested in spying on you or targeting you with annoying ads. We use analytics to understand how many people visit our site, what they read and how they find us. Those numbers help us close advertising deals.
5. Follow us on social media and interact with us. Like. Comment. Share. The links are below and every interaction helps our content reach more people, and that helps LGBTQ+ news and information reach a larger audience. And don’t forget to click that follow button.
6. If you own a business, talk to us. If reaching the LGBTQ+ community is important to your business, let us help. We offer opportunities across print, digital, newsletters, social media, video and branded content for businesses large and small. You reach an engaged LGBTQ+ audience, and your investment supports independent LGBTQ+ journalism. Sounds like a win-win to me.
7. Tell us how we can help you. Don’t be strangers. We’re family. Have something you think we should cover? Let us know. Did you like something we wrote? Let us know. Did something we published have an impact on you? Let us know. We want to report the information you need and want, so tell us how we’re doing.
Nearly 25 years after I started working here, I still believe this community needs Watermark Out News. And I know Watermark Out News needs this community.
Community institutions thrive when the people they serve participate in them and support them.
So read. Click. Share. Subscribe. Donate if you can. Advertise if it makes sense. Support the businesses that support us. And keep telling us what you need from us.
We’ll keep doing our part.
Stay visible. Stay Strong. Support each other.
Sign up for the Watermark Out News eNewsletter and follow us for more:
BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok | Threads | YouTube
