Publisher's Note: Keep The Star Shining for All

Dear Friend:

Since 1885, The East Hampton Star has provided the context, verification, and accountability you, our treasured readers, have come to expect, deserve, and, frankly, do not get elsewhere. We are East Hampton's voice and its public forum.

Every week, The Star delivers local news and information to help you, family members, and friends understand the forces confronting the East End and make informed decisions.

The need is there: More than 9 in 10 Americans agree that reliable local news is necessary for a democratic government to work properly. In an era of information overload, local news cuts through the noise, spotlights community issues, and strengthens civic life.

The East Hampton Star:
• Holds leaders accountable and highlights positive solutions
• Sends reporters to town meetings, school boards, and political protests
• Keeps an eye on land development and public safety
• Provides independent, fact-based information when and how readers need it
• Strengthens community connections
• Is a free public forum for an uncensored exchange of ideas, in the Letters to the Editor
• Provides employment: Our journalists live here too — their credibility depends on accuracy and fairness. 

We firmly believe everyone on the East End should be able to access reliable local news. To ensure we fulfill our mission and value system, we ask for your community support and philanthropic investment to help keep The Star affordable and widely accessible.

Producing The Star takes people, time, and resources. The funding model has shifted. New factors have converged to change our industry. Print and digital advertising and declining off-line subscriptions no longer meet the mounting costs of locally focused reporting.

Your partnership ensures our trustworthy, independent coverage remains strong and available all year long, and especially when it matters most — during emergencies, policy debates, and community decision making.

As we take the next step in fund-raising and launch our first crowdfunding campaign, we hope you will consider a one-time or monthly recurring donation. A monthly gift would be most appreciated as it allows us to plan and allocate funding for more in-depth feature stories, EAST magazine, and needed investigative reporting. All gifts are tax-deductible.

We also ask that you share this email with your community and help spread the word.