When news broke about Vox’s decision to remove funding for Welcome to Loud City in late January, it was painful to hear. This was our community, our home and the idea of all of that going away in just a matter of months was rough.
I joined this community as a fan in 2016. Since then, I’ve joined the writing staff and eventually became the blog’s site manager in August 2022 with the goal of bringing Welcome to Loud City back to the big time.
With the change in role came an increased sense of responsibility. I care deeply about Welcome to Loud City and I care even more deeply about the future of the community. Welcome to Loud City belongs to all of us and finding a home for everyone mattered hugely to me.
I am delighted to announce that Welcome to Loud City will be moving forward as a reader-supported, fully independent blog on Substack.
This is not a decision that was taken lightly but I truly believe that Substack is the best place for WTLC. Substack is an ad-free, independent publication that gets sent directly to the reader’s email inbox. It is also a place where WTLC can be truly free, away from any editorial demands or necessities.
Readers can subscribe to our blog for $10 per month or $100 annually.
More generous patrons can subscribe at our ‘Founding Member’ tier for $240 annually.
Welcome to Loud City will still be available for free subscribers to read but paid subscribers will be the ones who get every strand of analysis, every drop of detail about the Thunder.
The revenue from subscription fees will allow Welcome to Loud City to cover our maintenance costs while putting money in the kitty for future plans. The aim of growing WTLC has not been dimmed but we will need cash in the bank to pay for podcasts or features down the line.
Welcome to Loud City will be live on Substack on the 1st April and I urge everyone to sign up as soon as possible!.
On a personal note, I’ll like to be honest as I can and I would like to thank the community for being so supportive during these times. It was such a morale-booster to read your comments when things got difficult.
Much Love and Thunder Up!
J.D