It has been a long time coming! The Syncopated Times is now a production of Syncopated Media, Inc., a registered 501(c)(3) not-for-profit. This means we can accept tax-deductible donations, as well as seek grants, bequests, and partnerships with other nonprofits, businesses, and other organizations in pursuit of our mission. The paper will continue to be subscription based, so please renew as usual. But if you have more to give you can visit our GoFundMe for donation options or send checks to:
Syncopated Media, Inc.
1809 Whitesboro St.
Utica, NY 13502
A print publication is nearly impossible to maintain on a for-profit basis, and a website alone would quickly become a mere blog. To secure our future, and further our mission without compromising on quality, the only way forward was to seek nonprofit status.
We see The Syncopated Times as a vital lifeline for the traditional jazz community in a changing media landscape. Maintaining an analog paper in a digital world is important to us. We want our readers to have the option of taking a break on their porch, newsprint in hand, and learning about the music that enriches their lives. But the reality is that, while many of us aspire to such moments, we do most of our reading on devices. Increasingly people get their information in visual or audio formats on social media rather than reading at all. As a media organization, we need to reach those people where they are with information about jazz artists they may enjoy, and jazz history they may find fascinating.
As a nonprofit we hope to bring The Syncopated Times to more people. Every high school jazz room in the country should have a copy. We also hope to create media beyond the paper. Short form video, podcasts, the return of Syncopated Radio, how about Syncopated Records? It is all possible. All we need is for volunteers to step up and create these projects under our umbrella. We need you!
What started nine years ago as a print monthly with 1700 subscribers has already reached over a million people through our website. A viral TikTok video of a current hot jazz band or featuring an interesting historic tidbit could reach that many people in one hour! While nonprofit status will help us to keep doing what we have been doing, producing America’s only monthly devoted to hot jazz, ragtime, and swing, this is also an opportunity for us to do even more.
