"The first Kuro5hin fundraising drive is officially over, and by any measure, it's been a fantastic success. Altogether you contributed over $37,000 in memberships, donations, and text ads, along with perhaps another $2500 in donation pledges, and an unknown amount in pay-by-mail memberships. I should be able to report a final "grand total" in a few weeks. "

This is an interesting story. Struggling to fund his business this guy set out a tip jar, but he REALLY backed it with a strong explanation of why the money is nessecary. Now he is reorganizing as a non-profit. Not an unreasonable way to organize a media company.

kuro5hin.org does NPR style membership drive