FYI
Cheers
--arky
# # # Ashwin Mahesh, Subramaniam Vincent The Editors India Together Bangalore - 560076
Re : Support 'The news that matters.' Dt : 23 March 2006
(~850 words; reading time: 5 minutes)
Dear India Together reader,
Twice a year, we write to our e-newsletter subscribers asking for their financial support. India Together continues to make rapid strides in its coverage of public interest issues year to year. With our exclusive focus on 'development', we record and cover India in a way no other publication does. Much of this would not have been possible without the nearly 400 readers have supported us over the last two and half years. (****Our apologies to those of you who made a contribution within the last 12 months, and have received this letter; please ignore it.****)
This March-April 2006, it's that time of the year again. Last year, we raised nearly 400,000 rupees through your annual contributions. But to cover all costs at India Together at market rates, however, we would have needed to raise close to a million rupees (ten lakhs). Bridging this gap is crucial for us to continue to bring you more and more of the informed and experienced writing that you see every day. For this, we need your help.
If you've been planning to support India Together, but haven't yet done so, now is the time. Please do your part in keeping relevant journalism and independent publishing on India Together viable. http://indiatogether.org/support/contribute.htm
To continue reading this letter online, click here. http://indiatogether.org/support/2006-7/ltr-marapr06.htm
Recent milestones =================
In the six months since our last fundraiser, some of our regular reporters and writers have been awarded/recognized for their work. Two regular writers, M Suchitra and Deepa A, are now finalists in the Developing Asia Journalism Awards 2006 (Manila), for their recent articles at India Together. The winners will be picked in April. Jaideep Hardikar continues to be recognised - he won the 2005 S R Nanekar Memorial Trust Journalism award for his reporting on the Vidarbha agricultural crisis on India Together and other publications. M Suchitra of Quest Features received the 2005 Appan Menon Memorial Award for a study on Special Economic Zones. Shree Padre continues to be recognised for environmental reporting, most recently by The Telegraph as well as the Government of Karnataka.
India Together is seeing sustained increase in online visitorship month to month as well as for our free e-newsletter subscribership. For the last three months of Dec.05 - Feb.06, over 65,000 unique internet visitors were logged on the site each month. Newsletter subscription is growing at 30% annually and we are currently sending it to nearly 5000 email addresses.
None of all this would have been possible without your support.
Why you need to support us ===========================
Our goal is to find a 1000 readers to contribute at least Rs.1000 or more each year to voluntarily support India Together. This will help us continue to bring you 'the news that matters' as well as expand our reporting. You hold the key to this.
Reader support for public-interest journalism extends gains directly to you as well as the publishers. The most direct benefit is that you will get more and better of what you already like at India Together: public affairs news stories, expert insights, advocacy by practitioners, and informed commentary - all in one broad-based magazine.
Your support also means that we will be able to move towards paying our regular writers more reasonable rates of Rs.2000-3000 per article, and likewise for photographers and other artists. We know many talented journalists who will be thrilled to bring you the best, but they need your support.
Just as important, viability through direct reader payments will ensure that we will not have to rely on commercial advertising, or at least not very much. We will be able to continue to bring you all of the material you like at India Together clutter-free. Connected to this, we will remain focussed on covering the key development and public interest issues of our times.
A gift in return for your support =================================
In return for your support, you will get more and better of what you already like at India Together, plus The Digital Edition for your offline reading convenience. Learn about more about our print-friendly digital PDF edition here. http://www.indiatogether.org/diged/
How to contribute =================
Through the online transactions gateway CC Avenue, you can make your contribution with a few quick clicks. The link below works for all major international and domestic credit and debit cards. http://indiatogether.org/support/contribute.htm
We welcome rupee, US dollar or other foreign currency cheques, should you prefer to not use the online system. Please send your contribution in favour of 'India Together' to either of the addresses listed at the end of this letter. Our HDFC bank account number is also available for those of you who wish to transfer funds electronically.
We look forward to your contribution before 30 April 2006. If you have more questions about why your support matters, click below. http://www.indiatogether.org/support/whyfund.htm
We're counting on you. With best wishes,
Subramaniam Vincent, Ashwin Mahesh www.indiatogether.org The news that matters.
====================== CONTRIBUTING BY CHEQUE ===========================
Please send cheques made out to "India Together" to either address below.
IN INDIA
India Together B3-404, South City Arekere MICO Layout Bangalore 560076
OUTSIDE INDIA
India Together P.O. Box 4304 Ithaca, NY 14852-4304 USA
***NOTE: We can make our HDFC bank account number available for those of you ***who wish to transfer funds electronically. Thank you. ==========================================================================
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