Hello Readers & Listeners,
We’ve never done a Letter From The Editor post or crowdfunded, but November marks a first for both. Since 2018, But Why Tho? has worked to be an independent media outlet that brings often-overlooked voices in media criticism to the forefront. We started as a comics website and have grown into a Rotten Tomatoes and MetaCritic-accredited entertainment outlet for film, TV, and video games in the last six years.
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Our writers have attended Sundance, Cannes, TIFF, SXSW, Summer Game Fest, PAX, and a number of video game media preview events. We have worked hard to establish ourselves as a reputable outlet but, more importantly, as one with heart. Our team writes thoughtful reviews and essays and conducts interviews that highlight passion and vulnerability in equal measure.
While we punch above our weight class in many aspects, But Why Tho? is a team of two main staff (a word I use loosely, as our co-founder and I do not take any payment), four editors, and our amazing writers, who work to showcase their passion for pop culture and its importance by offering thoughtful criticism, often looking at the ways our identities intersect with everything we watch, play, and read.
I founded But Why Tho? because of how hard it is for new writers, particularly writers of color and women, to break into the entertainment criticism. We have aimed to be a space for writers to explore, learn, and craft their unique voices, whether as the first step in a career in media or as a creative outlet for them to cultivate in their lives while maintaining careers outside of media.
We have done this work by making what we can from ads, a small amount of Patreon subscriptions, and, more importantly, out-of-pocket. Last year, we had finally reached a place where my income didn’t need to subsidize the website. However, this year’s drastic shift in Google’s dedication to using AI to scrape our work and present it at the top of searches and algorithm changes have killed our growth, as it did with so many other websites, legacy or not. It tanked all of our monetization paths and cratered our viewership and reach. Over the year, we have worked to try to find a way forward and a path in this new landscape. However, we still find ourselves at the very end of our rope.
Independent media isn’t just dying. Corporations and venture capitalists are killing it. Legacy sites are being hit hard, but the landscape for independent media outlets like But Why Tho? has shrunk unprecedentedly. So I’m asking you to help. I have avoided making the call to crowdfund as long as we could. In fact, the reality is that I should have launched this at the start of the year.
Whether it was stubbornness or being taught all my life to never ask for help, we held off. Now, I’m asking all of you who have read our work, who have celebrated us in closed doors and on social media, who have been asking for more chances for those on the underrepresented voices in media to be given a platform to help us keep our writers and editors paid. And if you can’t donate directly? Spread the word! Tell people about us and encourage others to reach out and donate.
Throughout November, we will be running a crowdfunding campaign dedicated to raising funds that will go directly to our monthly writing/editing budget for 2025. This means that everything you donate will go directly to those who are writing the articles you read. Anything that exceeds the budget will be used for our website maintenance and any tools we currently use.
It’s important to note that we are not crowdfunding to make this website a full-time job. Despite dedicating way more than 40 hours a week, our co-founder will remain unpaid. I, who dedicate around 30 hours a week, will also remain uncompensated. This is how we have always operated, and it’s how we will continue to. For us, the voices of the writers and editors we platform and help train deserve what we earn. That’s how you build a site dedicated to uplifting others by putting yourself last.
As a whole, we are aiming to raise $18,000. That said, we’re aiming to do so by targeting smaller milestones. Our monthly writing/editing budget is $3,000, and we will try to raise it by as many months as possible. But even if we don’t hit our ultimate goal, we will use your kindness to keep pushing forward.
- $3,000 for January 2025
- $3,000 for February 2025
- $3,000 for March 2025
- $3,000 for April 2025
- $3,000 for May 2025
- $3,000 for June 2025
If you’d like to become a monthly subscriber to the site, you can do so directly through the donation page or, if you’d prefer, through our Patreon. In addition to general social media efforts to get eyes on our crowdfunding campaign, we will be hosting a two-day Twitch stream. On November 16 & 17th, we will be playing games and hosting panels that spotlight the conversations we have here at But Why Tho? and ones we want to continue to drive with our platform. Be on the lookout for the panelist announcements throughout the month; we’re grateful for their time and support.
Depending on where we are at the end of November 2025, we will be focused on growing website subscriptions, establishing exclusive subscriber letters, and providing access to more exclusive content through our newsletter. We hope to continue expanding our presence at festivals, conventions, and press events.
If you made it this far, thank you for reading. Asking for support isn’t easy for our team or me, and we have worked hard to sustain our outlet on our own. In the shrinking media landscape, it’s vital that independent outlets and writers have the chance to showcase their voices just as much as others, especially as we push for a more inclusive media landscape. Help us keep doing that, help us keep our doors open, and pay the incredible people who have made this site everything that it is.
Thank you for your time, your care, and, hopefully, for your support.
