Our petition to end billionaire media capture of our democracy closes at the end of Friday 18 September.
More than 30,000 people have signed it. Only 4% of parliamentary petitions ever pass the 10,000 threshold that forces a government response — ours did, and the Government has already had to put its position on the record.
We have done that with a total news blackout from the billionaire media and, so far, without a single major NGO behind us. Turkeys do not promote Christmas.
Every additional name between now and Friday night is a name we can put in front of Parliament, trade unions, political parties and NGOs when the grassroots phase of this campaign begins next week. So here is how you can help in the time we have left.
1. Sign and share the petition
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/760061
2. Ask an influencer
If you, or somebody you know, knows an influencer with a significant social media following, please message them and ask them to post this, or a version of it:
“It’s time to break the grip of the billionaire-owned media on our democracy. Please sign and share the parliamentary petition: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/760061. An independent, free press is vital if we’re to confront the climate, nature, poverty and democracy crises.”
3. Ask a campaign group or NGO
If you know a campaign group or NGO that might post a call to sign, please ask them directly. A personal ask from a member carries far more weight than an email from us.
4. Join our social media “super-spreaders”
They post comments, including a link to the petition, on the social media threads of major public figures. Message us if you’d like to join them.
5. Join our Facebook supporters group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1072509248669449
6. Help cover our costs
Our Crowdfunder covers campaign expenses, including our YouGov poll — the first of its kind on billionaire media ownership.
7. Do a shout-out
If you know any event, concert or festival organisers where a shout-out for the petition is possible before Friday, that would be brilliant.
8. Ask a podcaster
If you know a podcaster with a decent following who would be up for an interview or even just a plug before Friday, please introduce us.
9. Comment on our posts
Please comment on our posts to help them beat the algorithms. Even a couple of words helps — “Our media” or “Whose media? Our media!”
And then keep going
Friday is a deadline, not an ending. The moment the petition closes we start rolling out a national grassroots campaign — getting the Act backed by trade union branches, trades councils, party branches, student unions and NGOs, and building it upwards to national conferences until Parliament has to adopt it.
Dorset Trades Union Council has already endorsed the Act. Yours can be next.
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Please sign and share our petition to ban foreign media ownership: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/760061
And help us cover Campaign costs by donating to our Crowdfunder: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/crowdfunder-for-polling-the-publics-view-on-billi