A gap in the market
So. Wow. Where to start? Lead with the number, we suppose.
Did we say “Wow” yet?
48 days ago, Wings Over Scotland asked its readers if they might consider chucking in a pound to turn the site into a full-time enterprise for the next year. We hadn’t the slightest idea how people might respond. In an age where we’re constantly told that people won’t pay for journalism any more, we feared humiliation.
Our fundraiser closed this morning, having collected a total of £33,014 from over 1000 generous readers. (Just under 10% of the final figure came from people donating directly, having had technical problems with Indiegogo.) Most such undertakings are doing well if they attract donations from 1% of a site’s users, but we more than doubled that, with something in the region of 2.5% of readers chucking at least a quid into the pot, and some going far, far above and beyond the call of duty.
We’ve thanked people many times over the course of the last month and a half, and we could spend the next month and a half doing nothing else and still not have adequately conveyed our amazement and appreciation. Times are very hard for a great many people right now, and every single £1 that anyone managed to spare is a slap in the face to those who say that the public doesn’t value fair, honest, truthful journalism.
We choose that metaphor deliberately, because it’s hard to interpret the outcome of the campaign as anything but a massive vote of no confidence in Scotland’s mainstream media. So one-sided is the print and broadcast press in its coverage of the independence debate that Scots evidently felt the need to take matters into their own hands and pay directly to have some small degree of balance restored. The nation’s editors should be hanging their heads in shame today.
Perhaps we’re being overly modest with the “small” there. As of this morning, Google Analytics shows that 45,056 unique readers have visited Wings Over Scotland in the last 30 days. Many of the people who couldn’t afford to contribute to the fundraiser have helped the site grow in other ways every bit as valuable – tweeting links, sharing stories on Facebook, directing people here from inaccurate articles on newspaper websites for the truth, and sending us tip-offs or contributing articles themselves.
So let’s just say that our gratitude is beyond further expression, or we’ll never get anything done. We now face the daunting task of adding hundreds of names to the Credits page, and also of dispatching tokens of gratitude to those who donated to “Hero” and “Saviour” levels. We’ll have more information on that shortly – please bear with us for a few days while we sort it all out, especially if you’re one of the people who got there with multiple donations.
But like a manager with four in-form strikers, that’s the sort of problem we’re delighted to have. One last time, thank you all so much. We are truly humbled. We’ll do our damnedest to be worthy of your faith for the next year.
We’re not alone, though. Other pro-independence sites need funding too. If you’ve got any money left after our shameless hoovering of your pockets, consider directing some of it at these fine people;
National Collective
link to indiegogo.com
(extra-special thanks are due to NC, who delayed the start of their own fundraiser to give us a clear run)
Radical Independence
link to radicalindependence.org
Yes Scotland
link to yesscotland.nationbuilder.com
Bella Caledonia
link to bellacaledonia.org.uk
But the biggest thanks, of course, should go to you, Stuart, and your fellow contributors, for giving us this site in the first place.
Well done on surpassing the target. Lets hope we can surpass our other target just as comfortably come the 18th September 2014!
Say no more on fundraising Stu, it’s our thanks to you, but say everything you can on the battle ahead for the next year and a half. More power to your keyboard.
Well done Rev!!!
This truly shows that there is a desire for pro-independence news outlets!
Onwards and Upwards!!!
Now… O/T (Slightly)
May I suggest that anyone who missed the chance to donate for this campaign help out the Crowd-funding running on the National Collective Blog (They’re linked to in the column on the right).
National Collective is one of the largest and most active grassroots organisations campaigning for Scottish independence. We receive no funding from parties or central bodies.
This historic Yes campaign needs creative thinking. We need a campaign where ideas can be discussed, where we can raise the level of debate and provide arguments that people can sink their teeth into. We need to go beyond talking to the converted, and convince the sceptical. To do that requires us to think about politics, and about Scotland, in a new way – find new ways to spread our message, and create art that inspires change.
We’re eternally grateful for all the support given to us so far by sharing, promoting and creating our content. But if National Collective is to grow, we need financial support. We don’t think that the funds available to the independence campaign should go towards the profits of advertising agencies, so we’re asking you to chip in whatever you can to help us keep doing what we’re doing and grow.
The Scottish people deserve a debate that is clear, clean and comprehensive. We think one of the best ways we can contribute to this is through the design and promotion of posters and infographics. These have been used with enormous success by Barack Obama’s presidential campaign, and we’ve been creating them since the very start of our own campaign for independence.
£2,119 OF £18,000 GOAL RAISED SO FAR
link to indiegogo.com
Ha… you beat me to it rev!
Rev, will you shut-up and keep the good work?
Congratulations! This news has made my day.
Well done Rev and team.
You’ve been a true asset to the campaign thus far. We hope you’ll be traveling with us for the duration.
Go get em.
A fantastic result! The hard work starts here of course, but remaining upbeat and enthusiastic is the way to go. I’ve noticed a surge in people simply talking about the issue over the last two months alone, and I’m not even in the UK just now! Simply engaging others is the first step, and this site is helping massively.
Well done Rev!
Well done everyone.
Heartfelt congratulations Stu. “Its because you are worth it” Also to my fellow readers a huge thank you for your generosity. Where would we be without our wings?
No one knows how all of this will turn out but if there is any natural justice out there then there must be a (well-paid) place for Rev. Stu in Scotland after a Yes vote. (If you want one Stu?)
Well done and thank you Stu!
@Scott … I enjoy the NC articles and I’ll now concentrate giving monthly donations to them as well as the other ones recommended by Stuart.
Well done to all. . A sterling effort, no pun intended
Now, this just goes to show what Scots CAN do. And it’s just the start.
Congratulations Stu. I think this was a good metaphor for the independence campaign itself. It was an ambitious target, and at times it looked like you might not make it. But right at the end, you got there, and actually smashed through your target amount.
I see the referendum going this way – starting off from (allegedly) 2:1 against independence, we’re slowly but surely creeping towards that target of 50% + 1. In the last few weeks, I think the polls will suddenly shift to put independence in front – and when we see the final result, I think we’ll end up being pleasantly surprised at the Yes percentage.
Doug, great minds obviously think alike. That’s exactly the metaphor I was drawing from this.
Fair play to you, Stu, on reaching your target. Sure, there’s no thanks needed at all! The Fathers are only over the moon that you’ve as much money resting in your account now as Ted does. Father Jack says you’ve to use it to tell that big gobshoite Darling that he’s a fuppin grasshole and to Feck Off. Now before you get started again, you just go and have a noice cup of tea…..ah gwan now. Mrs. Joan Doyle, Craggy Island.
…..Tea, Fathers?
Well done Stu, and to all who contribute.
Well done Stu! Thanks for making an awesome site.
Did you raise enough through IndieGoGo to get the 4% commission rate instead of 9%? I hope so.
After independence, if you want to visit Tasmania and want a place to stay, let me know!
Many congratulations! You deserve it. The work you must put in is amazing.
OT. Has anyone else noticed , re 18th Sept. that the 18th letter of the alphabet is R, for Referendum? And If you add 8 and 1 you get 9, and the ninth letter is I, for Independence?
Any numerologists out there like to comment?
“Did you raise enough through IndieGoGo to get the 4% commission rate instead of 9%? I hope so.”
Yes.
That’s Scotlands debt of GDP buggered then! You have contributed to bankrupting Scotland. We are too poor. You are obviously not Scottish, as we are all too stupid to orchestrate such an impressive fund raising campaign.
It’s great to have a dream, try it, and then succede.Remind you of anything else
Congratulations on your new job
It’s heartening, in a world full of political gloom and doom, that this site has raised the cash that it needs. It’s not only a slap in the face for political editors in the UK, but a huge kick in the balls for the No campaign too.
Well done. I am glad to done my little bit to help Scotland get fair reporting.
The birthday present i most wanted today was for Stu and his fantastic WOS to reach its target. It fair gladdens my heart to see how it got there and with some panache;) You know, with this kind of people power i think we may just get that YES vote on Thursday 18th September 2014. You deserve every penny and more for giving us what the Unionist msm have deprived Scotland of for so long, well researched information backed up with links. I aim to keep digging deep into my pockets for this site in the run up to the referendum, so this is only the beginning as far as im concerned. Well done everyone!
Well done Stu. Well deserved success in fund raising.
Mucho congrats, Stu. I know you will put the dosh that is no longer mine to excellent use
I hope you used at least 40 quid of it to get pissed last night well deserved!
Morag – “Doug, great minds obviously think alike. That’s exactly the metaphor I was drawing from this.”
Well, whenever I’ve said this, my mum has always added “fools seldom differ”, which certainly explains the uniform message coming out of Labour and Tory mouths.
However, in our case, I’d go with the “great minds” bit.
Very good news!
Well done Stu!
My contract just got renewed for another 3 months a day too late to contribute again so will punt a little into National Collective instead, and send some off for the SNP newspaper they’re doing. Suspect there’ll be no shortage of things to fund over the next 18 months
@EdinScot
Happy Birthday, EdinScot. Have a lovely day
Fantastic news! Best news so far this year.
I bet this won’t be reported in the MSM.
I may be skint but I would like to donate six signed paperback
copies of my new book for you to do with as you wish.
Retail price is £7.99.
It is a fictional Scottish historical novel set in 1286
based around the death of King Alexander III.
link to facebook.com
Please let me know if this is of interest Stu.
Well done, Stu. Also, I’m gonna need you to go ahead and come in on Sunday, too. So if you could be here around 9, that would be great.
Well done Rev, congratulations. Now, let’s go beat the bastards.
Ten pounds well spent Rev.. I’d send a bit more if I wasn’t up to my neck in debt!! Maybe when I get my 1% pay rise in April I can make another donation to the coffers!!
I certainly won’t be contributing,…….not until there is a change in policy.
If you have to moderate comments before they are published, thus signifying that you don’t trust the readership, then you’re not worth a cent.
If you lack the courage for this…….then all of a sudden I lack the money….that’s waiting there for the first person that really believes in free speech and has the guts to stand by their principles.
“I certainly won’t be contributing,…….not until there is a change in policy.
If you have to moderate comments before they are published, thus signifying that you don’t trust the readership, then you’re not worth a cent.
If you lack the courage for this…….then all of a sudden I lack the money….that’s waiting there for the first person that really believes in free speech and has the guts to stand by their principles.”
link to wingsoverscotland.com
“The site has an open comments policy – if you’re a new user your first comment needs to be manually approved as an anti-spam measure, but after that anything you say will be published automatically and unmoderated, and without making users negotiate irritating Captchas or social-media registrations/logins.”
You seem to have rather failed to grasp how a deadline works, also.
What? Stu doesn’t pre-moderate comments, what are you smoking?
AWoLsco
There’s maybe a gap in the market for one of your blogs.
@AwoLsco
I think that it is you reasoning that has gone AWoL
(Absent Without Leave)
Very much appreciated Jeannie. i wasnae very subtel was i ahaha!
This really is the best news to see wings take off. Interesting to see NC and other sites brought to our attention. No shortage of good causes to help support and to get our people and our fine land over that winning line and beyond. This site though imo is really the creme de la creme.
Wings Over Scotland campaign = Darien Scheme!
link to bbc.scotlandshire.co.uk
@ Rev S Campbell and others, re-moderation.
Apologies to the Reverend.
When I saw the signal….’awaitng moderation’, I had an attack of earwig(‘ere we go again) syndrome.
……..but, but, it was at least done quickly…..and passed…..phew!
I might relent and make a donation.
Let’s see how it goes.
See that this guy has just become an ambassador. Don’t know who the guy behind it is but it’s a good FB page with 193,000 likes.
link to facebook.com
Ray said:
Wings Over Scotland campaign = Darien Scheme!
link to bbc.scotlandshire.co.uk
BBC Scotlandshire is something else! Witty, erudite, right on the button, and seldom fails to surprise with an unexpected angle. The one about the muse of history had me literally in tears.
@ the Rev S Campbell…..and others.
What is the policy with regard to right of reply?
Mr N Griffin of the BNP made what seeems to me a very sensible suggestion(leaving aside his politics) on curbing the power of the press by making it mandatory that all those whose names are mentioned by the press should have the right of reply, enshrined in law.
“What is the policy with regard to right of reply?”
I don’t know how I could be clearer than “open comments policy”.
AWoLsco said:
Apologies to the Reverend.
When I saw the signal….’awaitng moderation’, I had an attack of earwig(‘ere we go again) syndrome.
You can’t have been reading much of the blog comments, then. There’s stuff in there that wouldn’t have got past any pre-moderation on the planet.
that news has warmed me little Independence bottom. fantastic, sir.
i can only concur with what has been written by other.
onwards and upward, Stu.
Well done. It is good to read some heart warming news on this chilly Tuesday
@Rev S Campbell
“I don’t know how I could be clearer than “open comments policy”.
Excellent. Just going by past experience…….the saying comes easy, the doing is another matter.
@ Morag.
I’m just a new boy here. A fellow Scot. We’re all supposed to be jolly lads and lassies in this together, aren’t we?
Thanking you, in advance, for your patience and forbearance.
Well done Stu, and well done to all the contributors.
I’m embarrassed as my own contribution was so low compared with most others, the financial situation in the Dal Riata household being desperate at the moment, but once, hopefully, things improve, or I win the Euromillions tonight!, then further donations will definitely be made in time.
The present-UK-wide MSM is naught but an amalgamation of propaganda outlets working for the British Establishment, not only in the obvious example against Scottish independence, but also the working-class, the poor, the unemployed, the disabled, immigrants, eco-projects such as wind technology, etc., etc. Disgracefully, the list gets longer by the week. They are no longer fit for purpose. Not in my name.
One small step at a time, but I hope this small start will lead to further enlargement, Stu, and your (and your site’s contributors) voice being heard farther and wider. The Scottish (and worldwide) population are slaves to what they misinterpret as being ‘the truth’ being fed to them by the present-UK MSM. Your efforts are helping to free us all from the deliberate misinformation and lies being doled out as ‘the truth’. Thanks to sites such as Wings over Scotland the real truth will out and the Scottish people will vote ‘Yes’ on the 18th of October, 2014.
Here’s to the power of your fingers on that keyboard, Stu. Keep kicking against the pricks!
Delighted with the well deserved result ! Congratulations!
Incidentally , my wee BoScotland branch does not do bank transfers without a £20 charge .They were most put out when I told them a temporary member of staff had shifted money to you without charge so I am kind of worried as to whether you got it.
Congratulations all round and keep up the good work
Great news that the target has been reached and surpassed. I had visions of Nikostratos and Grahamski crowing had you not reached what was an ambitious target.
Here’s to another year (full time) of the best site on the web!
We are most displeased by this development. It will end badly. link to bbc.scotlandshire.co.uk
Oh, I think we already noticed! Kudos!
Well done and there is the delicious irony of the Hootsman shedding 30 editorial jobs this very day. Can’t link the story it’s in The Gruniad.
Many congratulations. Money well spent from myself and everyone else.
so… are you going to do some table-flipping “I QUIT” drama at your current day job?
He doesn’t have a current day job. He freelances. Now he works for us, bwahahahaha!
Just as well, really. I mean, not many people with actual secure employment could afford to give that up for 18 months to work for a Yes vote, no matter how well supported.
Congrats on meeting the target. If anyone from BC, or YES or National Collective is reading I think it would be great if you could make it possible for people to contribute using E Banking (needs information ie Name of Account, Name of Town where bank account is based, IBAN (international bank acct number) and BIC code. These are available from your branch. Much easier for people who are based abroad like myself to contribute. I dont believe that there are any security concerns in giving this info out, and I am much happier paying this way than using my credit card. I am working in a very out of the way place in Africa with a very poor internet connection for half of this year, and a big thanks to Stu and all you posters for your information discussions and debates. By just going to WOS it keeps me informed and interested.
@Dal Riata
Should point out that the Referendum is to be held on Thursday 18th September 2014 (not October). Congratulations to Wings Over Scotland on reaching their total by a long chalk. Well done to the Rev Stu and mair power to your pen. Also well done to all and sundry for their contributions and donations.
It has just dawned on me that the 3rd and final March for Independence Rally for 2014 is scheduled for Saturday 20th September 2014. With the announcement of the referendum date will this rally now be re-scheduled?
I chucked in my second donation but after the cut off hope still OK!
well done rev glad you made it
“If anyone from BC, or YES or National Collective is reading I think it would be great if you could make it possible for people to contribute using E Banking (needs information ie Name of Account, Name of Town where bank account is based, IBAN (international bank acct number) and BIC code. These are available from your branch. Much easier for people who are based abroad like myself to contribute. I dont believe that there are any security concerns in giving this info out,”
I can confirm that. I checked with my bank before giving out that exact information (we had several international donations), and was assured unequivocally that it was absolutely safe to do so.
Thank you Rev, See what we just did, and we are wee stupit poor and Scottish. no bad?.I have to go here very morning.
5/6 weeks ago i posted that the betting shop odds for Scotland voting yes for independece were 7 to 2 against. Today in the same establishment the odds are down to 5 to 2 against. A significant change, these dudes must have noted you made your target. Well done.
you said you needed £30k, you’ve raised over £33k …..may I humbly suggest that you use the extra money to seek professional advice on finance and fundraising ? ….I think there’s huge potential for this venture to become (permanently) much, much, bigger – as a “funded by the people, for the people” publication. Regards.
Jesu – if hell is knowing without doing – all you folk who did what you could are:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ANGELS ON WINGS <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Hmmmm, couldn’t find the leave a reply box on Paleface. Not surprised, looks to have been a busy and noisy day.
Must have been some party Rev.
@Macart
He closed it for comments at midnight, Macart, that’s why you can’t find it.
A well deserved result! Wings has become a daily habit for me here in New South Wales, where Scotland, never mind the Independence debate, hardly ever gets a mention in the news. I use your fantastic analysis to try and convince the natives of our cause, I can only say that they are ‘polite’ so far, but that will change next year when this becomes big news. It’s lonely here in SNP Oceania branch, but with sites like Wings over Scotland its becoming very exciting!
Anyone else spotted this?
No prize for guessing tomorrow’s subject on FMQs
The words “cynical and hypocrite” come to mind.
link to bbc.co.uk#
@Jeannie
Like I say, not surprised. Had glance through the thread. It looked a little……………… hectic.
@maninthe jar
Just heard Jackie B banging on about it on Good Morning Scotland, of course no explanation of how this emergency legislation would work, anyone know the process?
And didn’t Aberdeen? council, just this week, turn down a non eviction motion put forward by the SNP group?
@Albalha
Yes they did. I think there was a link to the SNP website yesterday but I’m not up to looking for it on yesterday’s thread.
Yup, and the Labour group in Dundee voted against no evictions, and Labour in Lanarkshire, I believe, have just blocked it there.
Is it not labour that wants more power decentralised to the councils? Now they have it suddenly it’s the Scottish Governments responsibility. Cheap, cynical, political point scoring.
Found the link re Aberdeen ….
link to snp.org
And the real Labour position, it would seem
Labour should be ashamed. They are using the poor folk that will be affected by this as cannon fodder. Just to get a shot at the SNP. I would not be at all surprised if the toon councillors are voting under instruction from Lamont on this. Just to create a stooshie. There is no depth that they will not sink to.
@Macart
Like I say, not surprised. Had glance through the thread. It looked a little……………… hectic.
Yes, I think he closed it for humanitarian reasons
@Jeannie
I think you might be right.
LOL
Many congratulations and well deserved. Now for the long slog!
re Labour’s call for emergency legislation. I wonder how AS will play this out ?
a) Be helpful and constructive, ask for cross party talks with the idea of bringing in legislation thereby making it look as though labour have won a little victory here. (well thats how the MSM will report it)
b) leave it to the individual council’s to make their own policy mentioning labour’s indecision at local and parliamentary level and (as has been mentioned already) passing more responsibility to a local level which labour have been calling for.
Either way, the one thing you can be guaranteed is that the BBC will spin this into a labour victory.
Has Jackie Baillie for once spoken the truth?
She said on BBC Scotlanshire that the Rev would probably disappear in a few days in a wee boat I’m begining to get worried that he’s not around
congrats from the dutch republic of the united provinces.. does this make you a “professional priindepence journalist”
Being as I live in ” darkest ” Argyll.( leccy back on now ) Apologies for late congratulations.
But I really had no doubt whatsoever that you would reach your target Rev.