With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today during our fall member drive.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
PDF of Prop 8 Decision Goes Viral in 24 Minutes
()
This afternoon's Proposition 8 ruling is one of the most viral PDFs in web 2.0 history, with as many as 6,000 views per second, according to GigaOm.
News of US District Court Judge Vaughn Walker's decision to overturn the proposition (today's coverage: 'Overturned', 'What They're Saying', and 'Can't Marry Yet') to ban gay marriage, which California voters approved in 2008, spread like wildfire online.
But it wasn't just the news - it was the ruling itself. Thanks to popular document archiving and embedding services like Scribd and DocStoc, blogs and mainstream media alike can quickly access public documents and present them directly to readers (see the Prop 8 PDF below).
Support for LAist comes from
According to Mashable:
Scribd CEO Trip Adler was quoted by GigaOM saying that while most documents the company considers “viral” reach 100,000 views within 24 hours, the Prop 8 ruling had reached 100,000 views within 24 minutes. Its propagation has since slowed, and it’s now sitting at just over 200,000. The Internet is fickle — we all know that — but that first burst of interest can be significant.
Photo: Molly McKay of Marriage Equality USA (Eric Risberg / AP)
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Restaurants share resources in the food hall in West Adams as Los Angeles reckons with increasing restaurant closures. -
It will be the second national day of protest against President Donald Trump. -
The university says the compact, as the Trump administration called it, could undermine free inquiry and academic excellence. -
Metro officials said it will be able to announce an opening date “soon.” -
While working for the county, the DA’s office alleges that 13 employees fraudulently filed for unemployment, claiming to earn less than $600 a week. -
The L.A. County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to declare immigration enforcement actions a local emergency.
Best of LAist