Help Keep PWS alive!
As media is increasingly bought up by billionaires and huge corporations, indie journalism could not be more crucial
In an era where most news is filtered through editors beholden to corporate boardrooms, billionaire owners, or algorithmic storms, real independent journalism supported by readers could not be more crucial for your understanding of the world.
And it couldn’t be more precarious for those of us in the field.
That’s why I’m writing to you directly from the helm of the Good Ship Capybara. Pirate Wire Services is a reader-supported independent media platform dedicated to fearless, piratical reporting from the periphery of the Western hemisphere.
No corporate anchors dragging us off course. No political parties at the wheel. Just audience-driven editorial choices based on our subscribers. Our goal is to bring you the clear-eyed investigation, regional expertise, thoughtful analysis, and stories that help you navigate the often-overlooked context of these turbulent times in this already turbulent part of the world.
And that’s why it’s time for our quarterly subscription drive! Our goal for this subscription drive is 40 new paid subscribers, which will put us on course for our goal this year to add 120 total.
Why your subscription helps us stay the course:
Fully independent: Every dollar comes from readers like you, not advertisers or special interests. This keeps the winds in our sails and our direction true.
No ads, no paywalls on more than 90% of our reporting: Your support keeps our best work accessible while giving subscribers early access to deep dives, exclusive features and our podcast, Pirate Wire Radio.
Quality over quantity: In-depth features, investigative pieces, data-driven maps, and honest conversations with experts on the ground that cut through the bullshit.
Lots of references to capybaras, something that our corporate colleagues are sorely lacking.
We’ve endured nearly 5 years on the treacherous seas of freelance journalism bringing you the latest scuttlebutt thousands of readers like you decided they were tired of being tossed about by Big Media and wanted journalism they could truly trust to guide them.
Perhaps more importantly, however, you are our compass. Our mini-newsroom strives to provide quality service for our readers, and thank you for reading or listening to our work!
Your subscription will allow us to:
Hire more original contributions from freelancers across Latin America, people who are on the ground in the countries they cover and have the experience to explain the context most big companies miss
Do more investigative reporting
Expanded international coverage
Launch new planned podcast series focusing specifically on migration
Stay a truly independent media outlet that answers only to its readers
We thank you if you’ve been reading us for free! But every new paid subscriber helps strengthen our hull and keeps us steady as she goes in these choppy seas. So click this subscribe button!
This isn’t just about supporting one publication — it’s about proving that honest, truth-seeking media can thrive without being swept along by powerful currents. If you value journalism that serves as a reliable lighthouse in the storm, I hope you’ll join us as a paid subscriber and help us chart the way forward.
Thank you for reading. Thank you for caring. Onward,
Joshua Collins
Founder & Editor-in-Chief
Daniela Diaz,
The real Founder and Editor-in-Chief (just kidding we don’t have hierarchies haha)
You can also donate a one-time gift via “Buy Me a Coffee”. It only takes a few moments, and you can do so here.
And if you can’t do any of that, please do help us by sharing this letter! We don’t have billionaire PR teams either.
Hasta pronto, piratas!
