Fed Up With Meetup

Townhall.com ^ | 5-11-2005 | Drew Bond, President & CEO, Townhall.com

[Rushgrrl]

During the 2004 Democratic primary, new online site Meetup.com gained media notoriety as it propelled the Howard Dean campaign to the forefront of the Democratic ticket. Thousands of liberals were meeting monthly to send Dean to the White House. The liberal media bias had spawned a liberal online virus. In response, Townhall.com decided to counter the liberal invasion and co-opt Meetup for its own purposes: to further the conservative agenda.

Using Townhall’s resources, we promoted the Meetup groups to you - our valued Townhall.com readers. With great success, our Meetup force grew to over 25,000 people strong. Townhall enthusiasts all over the nation – and in some cases, the world - were meeting to promote conservative ideals.

Regrettably, we were recently shocked, as many of you were, to learn about the implementation of Meetup group fees – $19 per month ($228 per year) to be paid by each of the group organizers. Moreover, I was notified of the change only one day prior to each of you. As a paying and longtime customer, I was not pleased about how this was handled. This is not how Townhall treats its readers and I certainly don’t want Townhall’s good name to be associated with such practices.

[Rushgrrl]

Not sure how many of you are members of Meetup.com, but they've implemented a new fee to organizers and they are also required to keep a three month contract. In Fresno, I know that we've changed organizers a couple times (I have yet to be able to attend due to scheduling conflicts), but in my opinion, it's not necessary for people to pay for this, when there are so many other ways to organize one's members. I've posted this that I rec'd from Townhall.com due to their complaints about the same issue and they want to do something about it where people won't have to pay for the ability to organize. Hope this helps some of you out there who are now having to pay for Meetup.com's charges. :) Have a great day!

[martin_fierro]

Regrettably, we were recently shocked, as many of you were, to learn about the implementation of Meetup group fees – $19 per month ($228 per year) to be paid by each of the group organizers. Moreover, I was notified of the change only one day prior to each of you

I wasn't real happy to learn about it, either.

[ElectricStrawberry]

Typical.....our Boston group will probably just keep meeting on its own without the assistance of Meetup. Screw 'em.

[martin_fierro]

Sign up for TownHall's own version of Meetup here

[rabidralph]

they want to do something about it where people won't have to pay for the ability to organize.

Have they heard of FR?

[Rushgrrl]

I haven't written to them to find out, but I believe they're referring to something more than a forum-type situation. Meetup has email reminders and scheduling possibilities that a forum doesn't offer. That's why Townhall is creating an interface that will be workable for that type of situation.

[Rushgrrl]

it should be good - they're expecting the Beta version to be available in Sept 05. I put myself on their list so I'm informed of all the progress.

[Capriole]

I haven't been able to attend the meetings each month in my town, either, but I'd been looking forward to going; I thought it might be a way to meet one of the only two or three other conservatives in my blue state (and I was kinda fantasizing that one of them might be single, middle-aged, and male). They gave the impression that everyone was getting together at a local restaurant to talk about ways to defeat liberalism. Now this sounds as though the whole organization was infiltrated by "pagans and liberals." Ech! I'm glad I didn't waste the time.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Ping

[Calpernia]

bump

[Calpernia]

FR has more than a forum type situation.

[Rushgrrl]

I didn't say that so that people can get defensive about it. I'm merely saying that FR doesn't have the capabilities that Meetup has, or else we wouldn't be using Meetup, isn't that correct? I'm speaking merely from a capabilities point of view.