Dear San Diego,

Sometimes, it’s best to ignore the haters. Other times, it’s best to face critics head-on — to (hopefully) take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing end them. On Day Nine of our ten-day campaign to save the San Diego Reader, we received this comment:

If the business is not working on its own, donations will not help. I have seen it dozens, if not hundreds, of times. It is up to the business to change its operations to match its budget, not to have people donate extra that will just go to the pockets and not to the product.

That’s a solid argument, and it deserves a response. Taking the last part first: the “extra” we received from our campaign — over $10,000 from just under 200 supporters — will absolutely not go into anyone’s pockets instead of the product. Here is the situation: we were on the brink of shutdown. We sent up a flare, and to our amazement, a media company reached out in response. We hope that the result of this will be a partnership that not only allows the Reader to continue on the web, but also helps it return to print in 2026.

But rescue operations take time. Every day, we are working with our prospective partners to ensure its success. Your donations are doing just what we said they would: buying us time. If you’ll permit a shift in metaphor, it’s an emergency transfusion while the doctors assess and operate. We’re hoping it’s a life-saver, and we can’t thank you enough.

That critical comment had this much right: a change in operations was necessary if the Reader was going to survive — and one day thrive. And that is exactly what we’re attempting now: to improve the way we do business, so we can continue to serve San Diego.

Thank you again for your generosity. Our hopes are high. Our campaign is over, but your help is still appreciated. If you haven’t donated and still want to help out, please consider becoming a sustaining supporter. Every dollar counts, especially when we can count on them every month!

Yours in gratitude,

Matthew Lickona

Owner/Editor

San Diego Reader

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