Help Tone Madison live to fight another day

What was it about Tone Madison that drew you in? Did we cover a local band you love that no other outlet paid attention to? Was it the novelty of finding thoughtful film writing at a time when local film coverage has been pushed to the wayside? Maybe it was an extensive investigation we did that helped you see an issue in a new light? Or political commentary that didn’t lean on stale narratives, and instead offered a new perspective?

For 11 years, Tone Madison has made it our mission to cover the corners of culture that involve the people, places, and movements that no one else deems worthy of attention. But we are facing a tough reality: if we don’t make our fundraising goal this winter, Tone Madison may have to close. Our advertising revenue has dropped dramatically, (probably due to ::gestures widely::), and as a result, our team has had to sacrifice some of our own income. We have done this out of the hope that our community will pitch in so we can right the ship and live to fight another day.

We need your help to ensure that Tone can continue to be a home for these stories. And your donation today goes a whole lot further. From November 1 to December 31, any donations made up to $15,000 will be matched by NewsMatch, essentially doubling your impact. One-time donations count, and recurring monthly donations are counted for the entire year—a $10 monthly donation would receive a $120 match from NewsMatch.

We also have a local match from an anonymous local donor for the first $1,000 we receive, which also unlocks a $500 bonus from Newsmatch. Essentially, the first $1,000 we raise will become $3,500. (If you are also interested in providing a local match of $1,000 or more, please contact our Managing Editor, Christina Lieffring, at christina@tonemadison.com.)

Another way you could help: if we receive donations from 50 new subscribers this fundraising season, NewsMatch will give us a $1,000 bonus. If you have never donated to Tone Madison before, now is the time to do so.

Come hang out with us!

We are holding two Office Hours during our fundraising season. 

Our first Office Hours event will be from 6 to 9 p.m on Wednesday, November 12 at State Line Distillery, 1413 Northern Court. Come hang out with the team and buy some raffle tickets—you could win a copy of our body-camera zine and a voucher for four tickets to any of The Moth‘s “StorySLAMs” in Madison.

Our second Office Hours will also be from 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, December 4 at Giant Jones Brewing Company, 931 East Main Street. It will also double as an early listening party for Tone Madison‘s newest compilation album, which will be available digitally for purchase the following day, December 5, for Bandcamp Friday.

What’s special about Tone Madison?

Tone Madison has the same DNA as the best alternative publications—unafraid to ruffle feathers, call out powerful actors, and frankly, get a little weird, all while being thoughtfully considered and crafted. Simply put, Tone Madison is dedicated to platforming a rich diversity of voices and perspectives on life in Madison that you won’t find anywhere else. Like Dan Fitch’s 2022 ode to the Halloween house on East Gorham, Sam Harrington’s mournful reflection on ice skating amid climate change, and Emily Mills’ experience of birding as community building. 

Do you still benefit from the lessons of Dr. Sami Schalk’s Pleasure Practices column? Did you also feel that food writer Jesse Raub’s latest Small Bites column movingly captured the discordance of trying to enjoy the simple pleasures in life as ICE inflicts horrors and chaos? Tone Madison not only informs, but helps us stay connected at a time when community is desperately needed.

Help us continue to tell Madison’s stories.