When The Ferret was set up in 2015 we set a medium term target of 2,000 new members. After six years of dedicated investigative journalism we are pleased to say that in 2021 we surpassed that target!
While the biggest Scottish newspapers are owned by a handful of billionaires, your support has allowed us to stay independent, impartial and as committed as ever in holding power to account. Our investigations have focused on Scottish and UK Governments, corporate influence, international politics, environmental issues, the far right, homelessness, addiction services, care, land access, fossil fuels and much more.
Your valued support has allowed us to continually work in the public interest and reach tens of thousands of people each week. Over the years, our journalism has prompted changes in the law, raised questions at both Holyrood and Westminster, and exposed secret conflicts of interest.
Through all of it, we have given hundreds of free memberships to people on low income, kept our fact checks outside of the paywall and fostered collaborations with a variety of other media, community groups and civil society across the country.
All of the above was only possible with your support.
Our membership prices haven’t changed at all since we launched. Meanwhile, we’ve grown our team, and developed an archive of hundreds of stories that often remain useful to readers many months later. Good journalism changes things – but it also costs money. As our membership, readership and staff team has grown, our overheads have too. So, we’ve taken the decision to adjust our pricing for the first time ever which, we believe, still offers great value for readers while helping The Ferret continue to grow
Standard Memberships will now cost £5 a month (instead of £3) while Gold Memberships will cost £10 a month, with the cost for an annual subscription on either plan going to £36/£96 respectively. This means that new members signing up for our Standard Annual plan will still be able to access our journalism for the equivalent of just £3 per month, via the yearly plan.
The new prices will be set for every new membership from February 11th, 2022. If you are already a member your subscription cost will stay the same!
As a member you’ll continue to get the usual, no paywall, access to training, resources and much more.
Thank you for getting us this far, we’re excited to continue making journalism that makes a difference with people who believe in it.
FAQ
If I am an existing member, will the cost of my subscription change?
No. As of 11 February, all existing members get to keep the rate they are currently paying (£3/£9 a month or £30/£96 a year). This will only change in the event of the member changing plans or cancelling their membership.
How can I find out more about The Ferret and how it operates?
We’ve set up a transparency page where you can explore The Ferret’s governance, accounts, income, expenditure, data, performance and much more. You can also check out our Ferret FAQ page.
If you are making journalism in the public interest, why have a paywall?
From our experience, a paywall has been vital in bringing new paying members to the platform, which in turn helps us pay for the incredible journalists and key resources that make our work what it is. But we are aware that not everyone can afford the cost of membership so we offer sponsored memberships. We have also kept our fact checks and podcasts free for everyone.
I’m a current member, but want to increase my financial contribution.
If you would like to increase your financial contribution to The Ferret in line – or greater than – the prices offered to new members, please contact us here.
You can also donate to The Ferret.
I want to help The Ferret beyond just getting a membership, what can I do?
The more people who know about The Ferret, the more of an impact our work will make. You can help spread the word by telling your friends, family and colleagues about our work, and continue to share our articles, fact checks and podcasts on social media with new audiences.
