Yes, it could be done. But again, we subject ourselves to the online ad market (advertising rates go up and down with the economy and sometimes tank completely) and there are no guarantees that they can sell enough ads for our account anyway. We also subject ourselves to the demands of our advertisers, put our forum at risk if we are competing with our sources for advertising revenue, puts more legal pressure on us, and lots of readers will simply take steps to avoid the ads altogether which will crimp us even further. Afraid we’ll end up having to do both or several combinations of all the above forever. Hoping we can just continue to keep it simple and remain non-commercial as we are.
If it’s not broke(n) don’t fix it. Did you get my message about the donation in memory of BAH BAH?
Like that you are in control. Would not like input or control being done by outside advertisers. Thinking of what happened to Rush lately. He’s got the money to survive, but would FR?
I donate $10 per month and occasionally pony more during Freepathons.
Didn’t know about the $2 per month it costs. Here’s another $50 to cover some of what FR has been charged for processing.
I love Jim, John, and Free Republic!
Could you maybe set up affiliate-style links like to Amazon books/products so maybe you wouldn’t have to deal with an ad agency?
If we were to open ourselves to advertising, how about strictly conservative ones? Along w/ a membership fee. Non paying members can still post, but be limited to how many per month.
Perhaps if enough of us contact Rush, we can get Two If By Tea, The Heritage Foundation, etc.
Personally, I do enjoy taking care of ourselves, but it seems to get harder and harder each FReepathon.
I wish more people would step up.
Remember what happened to Rush Limbaugh!
The libs contact your advertisers and threaten to boycott them unless they drop you and poof! no advertisers!
We live in a uncivil times and the revenue loss in mass of advertisers would be instant bankruptcy for FR!
What would it take . . .
to remind non-donors that they have not contributed in XX months or whatever before they can post a post successfully say once a day or once a week they’d get that reminder.
Maybe that they’d have to click one of the following before the post would post:
( ) Still not able/willing to donate; ( )Will donate $____ within 24 hours. etc.