Little noticed amid all the talk of a $600 billion stimulus for 'shovel ready' public infrastructure projects, the Wikimedia Foundation raised $6.2 million the old fashioned way -- it begged for it.
In the Internet version of a public broadcasting pledge drive, the foundation appealed to need and vision all in the name of two mind numbingly dull subjects -- operations and infrastructure. Here is the foundation in its own words -- the money would be used to "to maintain and grow the Foundation's technical infrastructure, which includes managing global traffic for Wikipedia, the 4th most popular web property on the Internet."
"This campaign has proven that Wikipedia matters to its users, and that our users strongly support our mission: to bring free knowledge to the planet, free of charge and free of advertising," wrote founder Jimmy Wales in a thank you note to users.
The campaign also proves public broadcasters have been on to something for decades -- or, alternatively, has acculturated us to responding to things like pledge drives. Some 125,000 donors from around the world helped the foundation exceed the foundation's $6 million goal.
There is also a reminder about the power of a strong pitch man as the wikipledging surged in the final days, "A personal appeal from Jimmy Wales, published on the Wikimedia Foundation's website on December 23, 2008, resulted in a surge of more than 50,000 contributions in eight days, totaling $2 million and closing the gap towards the revenue goal."
So there are alternatives to applying for a federal bailout. They both involve swallowing hard and asking for help but a key difference between a bailout and a pledge drive is who you ask and how. Madame Governor, Mr. Mayor, it is time for your close up.
In the Internet version of a public broadcasting pledge drive, the foundation appealed to need and vision all in the name of two mind numbingly dull subjects -- operations and infrastructure. Here is the foundation in its own words -- the money would be used to "to maintain and grow the Foundation's technical infrastructure, which includes managing global traffic for Wikipedia, the 4th most popular web property on the Internet."
"This campaign has proven that Wikipedia matters to its users, and that our users strongly support our mission: to bring free knowledge to the planet, free of charge and free of advertising," wrote founder Jimmy Wales in a thank you note to users.
The campaign also proves public broadcasters have been on to something for decades -- or, alternatively, has acculturated us to responding to things like pledge drives. Some 125,000 donors from around the world helped the foundation exceed the foundation's $6 million goal.
There is also a reminder about the power of a strong pitch man as the wikipledging surged in the final days, "A personal appeal from Jimmy Wales, published on the Wikimedia Foundation's website on December 23, 2008, resulted in a surge of more than 50,000 contributions in eight days, totaling $2 million and closing the gap towards the revenue goal."
So there are alternatives to applying for a federal bailout. They both involve swallowing hard and asking for help but a key difference between a bailout and a pledge drive is who you ask and how. Madame Governor, Mr. Mayor, it is time for your close up.
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