The summer of 2024 ended on Labor Day, but it was neither lazy nor hazy. It was busy—busy for advocacy and political fundraisers and for the media, both struggling in the churn of American politics.

Watching the current state of American politics, especially the Presidential campaigns, we see how much has changed in politics and how little the press has kept up. The media, like fundraising, is stuck in the past, clinging to old habits, blind to the new realities. Both are like old generals fighting the last war, guided by confirmation bias.

The media, once democracy’s watchdog, is becoming a prisoner of its assumptions. It treats the rise of Trump as an anomaly, searching for narratives that fit its old worldview. But the seas have changed, and they’re sailing with outdated maps. Their focus on spectacle and both-sidesism misses the new reality, making them less relevant, less trusted.

In this world, the media’s failure is more than just a lapse; it’s a threat to democracy. The old guard of journalism, once the gatekeepers of truth, now watches from the sidelines as social media influencers and podcasters sway the masses. Their once-mighty pens are overshadowed and their readership vastly outnumbered by the audiences of  the social media platforms like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok and an army of independent journalists on Substack.

Kevin’s recent post,  Hand Size and Fundraising Success, raised the critically important warning about our trade’s failure to change simply because of the ready availability of myths and confirmation bias—the equivalent of football scouts predicting a quarterback’s potential based on hand size.

Too many fundraisers hold onto outdated methods, convinced their approaches are rational, even when they’re not. This belief, reinforced by myth and confirmation bias, leads to stagnation. All this at a time when our knowledge of donor motivation is changing; that donors seek more intentional ways of giving,  requests and involvement that reflect personal values, less impulsive, more aligned with their individual goals.

As we try to retain or win back donors, we need to ask ourselves: What do we expect from these relationships? What do donors expect in return? How can we engage them beyond just financial contributions?   And after a donation, how do we give them a voice?

Both the media and fundraising  worlds are at risk. For the media, the loss of trust and relevance is growing as people look elsewhere for information. For nonprofits the connection with donors is weakening, leading to fewer contributions and less impact.

To survive, both must confront their myths and biases. The media needs to abandon outdated norms and embrace the complexities of modern politics. Fundraisers must recognize the diversity of donor motivations and move beyond a one-size-fits-all approach.

Both trades are trapped in the past, driven by a desire to maintain the status quo. To stick with the “known”.  Overcoming these myths and biases is essential for evolving and thriving in today’s world.

Roger