Tasmanian Times. We've been around since 2002, and we're not going away any time soon. Over the years our 55,000 posts on everything Tasmania have been a valuable alternative perspective to the mainstream media.

We exist to provide an independent and forthright outlet for the views of Tasmanians.

As the media landscape changes, so we too need to change.

We need technology upgrades, and more and better equipment. We need to fund training for interested people, the passionate souls who keep the show on the road. We need to pay for quality apps that can help us to provide even broader coverage. We need to diversify our revenue sources away from paid advertising, so we don't have any conflict of interest with businesses and agencies upon which we need to shine a spotlight. We need to keep pace with changes in the way people consume media.

As well as the needs there are the wants.

We want to do more. We want to start a podcast, for example. We want to do an occasional print zine. We want to extend our coverage of local government and regional Tasmanian issues. We want to offer some financial compensation to creators of great content. We want to explore possibilities by doing some research into the kind of media that Tasmanian residents - and indeed our diaspora - want to have. We want to do some marketing, so that our super contributors find an even bigger audience. We want to challenge ourselves to be the best indie newsmagazine that we can be.

The biggest need and want converges into a single, major item: we are going to become a non-profit association. This also has some start-up and running costs with it, including an ongoing drive to recruit a viable membership base.

We hope you'll support our campaign, and contribute to the growth of independent media in Tasmania.

Tasmanian Times website infrastructure, hosting and related costs $5000

Apps and subscriptions $3000

Equipment (audio, computer, etc.) $8000

Legal costs, various $5000

Administration & set up of non-profit association $2000

Research into Tasmanian media market needs $5000

Travel, training, recruiting, member care $4000

Membership campaign $6000

Printing $4000

Postage and other administration $3000

Crowdfunding costs and other miscellaneous costs $5000