How Subscribing To A Newspaper Could Create Change

It's no surprise that Trump's victory set off protests all over the country and left countless Democrats and political progressives wondering what they should do next to try to make a difference. Well, here's one small step: Subscribing to a newspaper is important during Trump's presidency because our nation's print journalism badly needs support.

If you're a fan of HBO's Last Week Tonight, you may have heard host John Oliver address this very situation in his first post-election episode ― namely, the need (now more than ever) for citizens to actually pay for the original journalism that the country will desperately need under a Trump administration. You only need to look at some of the early decisions ― like climate change denier Myron Ebell for EPA transition chief, or Rudy Giuliani as a front-runner for secretary of state, reported conflicts of interest and all ― to see that the media is going to be put to a severe test over the next four years, minimum.

And print journalism outlets like the New York Times (with subscriptions as low as $3.75 per week, with a discount in your first month) and the Washington Post (with subscriptions as low as $9.99 per month, with a discount in your first month), as well as countless local and regional newspapers, are the tips of the spears for extracting and reporting the information everyone needs to know.

In particular, you should strongly consider backing those print publications that have wide distribution all across the country. USA Today, for example, offers subscriptions for just $25 per every three months, or about $8.33 per month.

Obviously, financing traditional journalism through paid subscriptions is something far more easily done if you've got some disposable income to your name. If you do, though, you should also consider subscribing to papers that inform you at the state and local levels, too ― do a little research into the publications in your area, and figure out which one is most deserving and most needing of your financial support. If you're living in a deep-red state like Texas, for example, the Texas Tribune is a great publication to consider.

And, lest you think paying a small amount of money to support journalism won't have much impact, tell that to the folks at ProPublica, the investigative journalism non-profit Oliver specifically shouted-out in his recent episode. Thanks to his mention (and some of the exemplary work they've done through the years), they've been deluged with donations, which should be music to your ears if you're hoping for vigilant reporting in this strange new era of American politics. So, if you've got the money and the ability, don't sit on the sidelines on this one. It's time to get involved, whether in a big, active way, or through simple means of financial support.

Image: Last Week Tonight/YouTube/Gifit.com (1)