Please don't let them pull the plug!
Dear Friend,
It happened again today.
One of my news outlets pulled the plug on my column. And not just my column but the entire section.
It's gone, all of it.
That's the third one this year.
Why am I telling you about this? Because as these features disappear, this newsletter represents your last chance to keep authentic, valuable consumer journalism alive.
Please consider subscribing to Elliott Confidential today. A subscription costs about the same as a cup of coffee. But it will keep you informed all year.
Hey, what happened to my consumer news?
Maybe you've wondered why reading your favorite news outlet leaves you feeling so empty.
The answer is simple.
Editors who control the news are interested in catching the attention of Google's algorithm so that they reach a huge audience. So they assign stories with clickbait headlines about topics that have been covered over and over.
People want to read the stories — and they do click on them — but they learn nothing valuable and the experience leaves them deeply disappointed.
At the same time, news outlets have undergone brutal cost cuts in the last year. When they're not chasing Google's algorithm, they use generic wire-service stories or free articles written by publicists to fill space.
Some of the sections I used to write for have been killed entirely, while others are just a shell of their former selves.
The future looks bleak. There's no hope if news organizations won't support quality consumer journalism. We will all drown in a sea of useless information.
Unless you can help.
I write for you — and only you
I refuse to write my stories for a search engine.
Every article, every report, and every podcast starts with you. I ask: How will this story help you? It's a simple formula that has served my readers well for more than three decades.
And it's a formula that works.
Yesterday, I got a call from a White House official thanking me for my advocacy over the years on behalf of consumers. I was stunned. The government wants to change how companies quote their prices and disclose fees. Yesterday, it sued to stop the proposed merger between Spirit and JetBlue, which would have raised airfares.
This isn't a partisan issue. Better pricing and a more competitive airline industry will benefit everyone, no matter how they vote.
That's what happens when you stick to your principles and refuse to chase a fickle algorithm. You get results.
Please help me stop the losses now
I lost my paycheck today. But you stand to lose even more.
Can you imagine a world where no one has your back? Where the purveyors of news simply want to entertain with sensationalist headlines and stories peppered with meaningless keywords?
Imagine going to your favorite travel blog for help and finding that they're only interested in having you click their affiliate link to apply for a new credit card? You don't have to. Most travel sites already do that.
Imagine going to a news outlet and finding nothing but nonsense behind the paywall — stories about traveling with your pet and vacationing like a movie star. You don't have to. Most newspapers are already serving you those vapid stories. Meanwhile, airline seats are getting smaller and fees are soaring.
We stand to lose so much by doing nothing.
So right now, I'm asking you to do something. Please subscribe to Elliott Confidential now. It’s only $6.67 per month for a one-year subscription.
The stakes have never been higher
Elliott Confidential is the only newsletter that will stand up and fight for you every day.
But currently, only one-half of a percent of subscribers are paid. And that's a problem.
If my news outlets are cutting back my columns and I don't get support from my subscribers, what will I do? I don't even want to think about it.
Don't let them pull the plug on consumer journalism. Please consider becoming an annual paid subscriber to Elliott Confidential. Your support will allow me to continue producing quality consumer journalism — and helping you.
Thank you!
Christopher Elliott
Publisher
Elliott Confidential