By West Side Rag
Today is West Side Rag’s 14th birthday, a good moment for an update on our work — and an appeal for your support.
Thanks to the engagement of readers like you, the Rag now has more than 24,000 subscribers, and in 2024, our stories got more than 11 million page views. There’s no charge for a subscription or for access to any of our Upper West Side stories; just sign up, and every weekday morning you’ll get an email with links to our latest reporting — like our ongoing coverage of the fight to mandate affordable housing in the development that will replace the ABC broadcasting campus, our recent updates on plans for new businesses to replace Silver Moon bakery and Absolute Bagels, the joyful opening of Central Park’s new Davis Center, or an investigation into a mysterious ringing sound on a neighborhood block.
And our columnists regularly keep you up to date on neighborhood openings and closings, what to do on the weekend, where to go for great food, and much more.
As our late owner Robert Tannenhauser would say, “there is always something interesting to read in the Rag.”
On our 14th birthday, we ask that you consider either adding to or renewing your financial support with a one-time or sustaining gift. The support helps us ensure that West Side Rag will be here for you and future generations. Thank you for your consideration.
To support West Side Rag, click — HERE.
Thanks for all you do! I would pay handsomely for some sort of subscribers only comment section, just saying =)
I would pay handsomely to eliminate the comments section altogether, but I do appreciate the Rag’s effort to weed out the worst ones.
Of course so it can be an urbanist echo chamber!
And I would appreciate your not censoring the comments as you have…
Idk why this is a reply to me. I don’t always agree with the moderation choices either but I think they do a reasonable job – what sort of comments of yours are being censored?
Perhaps WSR could institute a paid premium tier for those who insist on making insulting comments?
Ditto
Really? How elitist.
Sorry can’t support WSR a one sided political view. Believe it or not their are Republicans who live in New York City.
And they certainly love this City.
So try to be fair to the other side.
We also want a safe and clean City we can all enjoy.
I have to agree with you. NYC born and raised. Love this City and this neighborhood. I am a proud Republican. I don’t always agree with the GOP, but it is my clear choice to support Republicans after the damage that the “soft on crime” NYC Democrats have done. I believe the WSG’s tone is slanted left.
Pretty funny comment since I find a lot of the comments to be more right wing. The articles dont offer opinions so totally confused on that. Maybe you think WRS should be reporting on MAGA rallies?
One sided?! I struggle to think of an article where the WSR has taken a political view, in my opinion they usually are playing things pretty straight but happy to hear of examples that you think otherwise.
Republicans have a very active voice in the comments here and from my personal experience, I think they are likely censored less than Democrats.
I would also differentiate historical Republicans from MAGA people who have hijacked the party.
Your post shows all that is wrong with your side. Acting like you are the only ones who want a clean and safe city. Almost all Democrats do. And there are a lot of very moderate Democrats on here who are very unhappy with the way things are – we are often referred to as Republicans but are very far from there. Trump supporters are completely incapable of saying anything that is not nasty and snarky and that hasn’t been spoon fed to them by Fox News, Breitbart, etc
If Trump hadn’t destroyed the Republican party, I would likely consider voting for Republicans, particularly in local elections – I think most of the leading Dems locally are way too far left. But that is not an option because all Republicans seem to sign a loyalty oath to him.
Back to the point, thank you very much to WSR for being an incredible resource for our neighborhood. Greatly appreciated. Keep up the good work.
So why bother reading, or showing up in the comments, if you don’t like the content?
Because people like this don’t actually want “free speech”–they want everyone to be forced to listen to, and even amplify, them.
Thank you so much for your coverage of issues on the UWS. And lots of fun, too.
I think the rag performs an incredible and laudable public service, and I am grateful for it. Like public radio, and public television, which I support, the money the rag receives should be tax deductible.
Agree the WSR provides a very valuable service but at the end of the day it is a for profit business, so that’s why donations aren’t tax deductible.
It’s a great neighborhood resource but your draconian moderation policies in the comment sections make it hard to support you.
Good point—I’ve been censored relentlessly here and although some comments get thru by me or others from a right perspective the prevailing view of the articles is orange man bad and how terrible everything is now and how hard it is to cope now—half the country does not feel this way—maybe even more on the UWS than u would think
So basically what you’re looking for is for all of the comments criticizing Trump to be censored?
From my perspective, at least half the comments here seem to come from the right, and it’s probably more like two-thirds
The absurd level and scope of moderation prevents me from making a financial contribution. I like to read comments the represent opposing viewpoints but find myself unable to present my opinions without inconsistent restrictions.