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The beginning of the end,
or the end of the beginning?
After two years, Flagstaff Tea Party is still struggling
By Dan Frazier
Tea Party Editor
This month Flagstaff Tea Party celebrates its two-year anniversary — 24 publications smeared with ink, sweat and tears. But our celebration is tempered by the knowledge that ongoing budget shortfalls make it impossible to continue FTP’s previous level of operations. This month we move from a 24-page format to an eight-page format, at least temporarily, as we try to bring our expenses into line with revenues. Instead of publishing full-length articles as we did before, this month we are publishing brief summaries of new articles that are now posted in their entirety on the FTP Web site.
Obviously, this is not the ideal arrangement. Thousands of Flagstaff residents do not own computers. If FTP can find a significant source of additional revenue, say, through a major sponsor, or through a groundswell of community support, it might be possible to resume full-scale publication at a later date.
Is this the beginning of the end, or just the end of the beginning? We hope it is the latter. We know that there are few towns of Flagstaff’s size that can boast of having an alternative newspaper that compares to FTP. Indeed, there are few towns or cities of any size that can boast of having a nonprofit, grassroots newspaper where ordinary residents can share their views, or report on community events, no matter how radical their perspective.
There are many ways that you can help to assure that FTP remains an important alternative source of information and an active nonprofit organization:
Support FTP with a donation. Benefits include delivery of FTP by mail each month (if you wish) Also, members can get
discounts from the merchants listed at left. All donations are tax-deductible.
Advertise with FTP. Each month we distribute 10,000 copies. Our advertisers reach many of Flagstaff’s best and brightest residents, along with many tourists. Regular advertisers will also have a link on nearly every page of our Web
site (see below). If you don’t have a Web site, we will create a simple Web page for you at no additional cost.
Help spread the word. Tell your friends about the importance of supporting Flagstaff Tea Party.
Submit an essay, story, cartoon or photo to Flagstaff Tea Party. After all, that is what FTP is all about — providing a community forum for the discussion of progressive ideas. FTP is your newspaper. What’s on your mind? At the moment, FTP can’t pay you for your work, but the value of sharing your thoughts with your community may be priceless.
Volunteer your time. FTP continues to need people to serve on its
board of directors. FTP also needs help in other areas, such as Web maintenance, accounting, editing, fund-raising, etc. Contact us for details.
Let us know what we can do to better meet your needs. Have an idea about how we could bring in more revenue?
Give us a call or drop us a
note.
When we started FTP, we had no money and we did not know what we were doing. Now, two years later, we still have no money, and we still don’t know what we are doing. This month I hope to give a workshop in Tucson on “How to start an alternative newspaper in your town.” The first step, I’ve decided, is to rob a bank. The second step is to rob another bank, and so on. All kidding aside, we could really use your support. And, as always, unmarked bills are preferred.
Thanks for your support!
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