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Posted on 04/19/2012 1:22:35 PM PDT by Jim Robinson
I've checked with an ad agency. We can probably raise the funds we need to operate FR at our current level and at the current market price for online advertising if we run a banner ad at the top of every page and at least one rectangular ad in the above the fold body of the page and a couple rectangular ads in the sidebar. If that doesn't generate enough revenue, we can also run pop ups or pop unders and we can even run audio and video ads if need be. But of course, if we go full bore commercial, we'd have to insure strict copyright compliance with very brief excerpting of all articles to avoid lawsuits. And the agency would require that we install a filter to censor out any bad or unacceptable words in our posts.
Or, of course, there's always the membership model. We could setup a members only system where paying members get full access and non-paying members get throttled back, etc.
I don't like either of the above models and think we'd soon lose a lot of our readers and participants. Of course that may happen anyway if we can't fund it and if we cannot get our equipment problem under control, or if my refusal to vote for or support an abortionist/homosexualist/statist who has plans to install ObamaCare, er, I mean RomneyCare into all 50 states runs everyone off.
The donation model has served us very well since 1997 when we first started using it. It's very clean, uncomplicated and we attract participants who perhaps can't afford membership dues but do want to join the discussion and join our rallies, protests, prayer sessions, etc. And the advertising model would probably bring in the revenue, but it comes with strings attached.
I'm sure there are other ways and ways to combine features of various models, sell books, cds, gear, etc, offer no ads for paid subscribers, etc, even ISP services, but all of these also complicate matters.
I'm an old dog and I like to avoid new tricks, new complications, additional overhead, additional accounting, additional rules and regulations, etc, wherever possible. I like to stick to simplicity and with what works.
Thank you all very much for your continuing participation and support.
Boy is Joe’s face red!
Thanks - I’ve suggested these before but have been ignored. Now with the prospect of banner ads you’d think they’d at least try it. Sigh.
The Arby’s thing was intended as just that, humor/yuck! although apparently there are people who eat there. ;-)
I agree with you.
:)
I agree....and it is baffling why some don't get this. With Newt still standing in this race, and folks knowing what stands at risk in the general...why on earth they're 'already' supporting Romney defies imagination, IF indeed they are the conservatives they claim.
Further the threads evidence more than just wanting to see Obama out...it often seems like they're 'Promoting Romney". Why do so when they surely know how Jim and others here see Romney as equal to Obama? To me they are asking for discord and to be challenged.... it's just the way it looks on the threads.
I think the anger and bitterness we see is their efforts to change peoples minds about Romney isn't working, rather they're being challenged head on, and yet they want to air their opinions favorable about him none the less. And this is why some are attacking other posters....
LOL... I knew it was a joke... and I don’t eat there. ;>)
Well said, caww.
Good observation, caww. Those who are abandoning their alleged principles, and who are advocating that we throw our support to Romney, seem to become emotional when we don't buy their arguments.
When our refusals to join them in their headlong rush toward a new Socialist master escalate, they scream and cry that we're being foolish, or that we're essentially voting for Obama. When Jim has finally had enough, and shows a few of these people the door, their sympathizers begin crying 'foul!'
Enough. Some of us simply won't be coaxed or bullied into accepting the left's terms of surrender, no matter the outcome. I'd rather stand and fight an avowed enemy, than relax my guard and get a shiv in my back from a Trojan horse traitor.
Good post, as always.
I don’t think of them Romney supporters, I think of them as Surender Monkeys.
A whole lot of our loyal, generous and steadfast FReepers donate every FReepathon, by their state’s and via mail-in donations. They just don’t donate monthly for their own reasons.
I think that’s the difficulty I think we would encounter with acknowledgements of donors, in a tier system, given that many elect to remain anonymous and I’m sure they’re some of our most generous donors. Only Jim knows their identities and likely not, or not necessarily, their matching screen names.
A Premiere Membership might need a little more thought, but not if it were not apparent to others, only to the user/member, in that all ads were blocked for the Premiere Member. Understand what I’m trying to relate?
Mine is an estimate, based on the fact that our minimum donation is $3.00 and that all credit cards and pay pal burn a processing fee. I think it’s a percentage of 1.5% and upwards and approximately $2 per $100. It’s the normal cost of doing business.
I understand and I agree. It’s more complicated than it may appear. For me, whatever Jim decides I will support. I love this site as it is, but it is his decision, and his is the final word.
Their problem is you cannot 'Hold those Principles',... (though you might claim them which doesn't make it so),... and at the same time 'Promote a Romney vote' with a clear conscious....especially while seeking to justify that vote to those who understand the two are diametrically in opposition to each other.....'Cognitive dissonance'....
......Which is a Discomfort caused by holding 'conflicting cognition's' ...(e.g., ideas, beliefs, values, emotional reactions) simultaneously..... In a state of dissonance, people may feel surprise, dread, guilt, anger, or embarrassment.....
We see their discomfort playing out in the discussions. I would add, if they are Christians all the more this is apparent. Their only "escape" is to lash out and or continue trying to promote Romney favorably as the alternative to Obama,..( who isn't running in this Primary)...add in the Newt factor, as he still running.....well you get a mess of course!
Greyfoxx, please do not assume I support the man. He’s the worst choice the pubbies could have ever made. He is not, however, Obama. Unless they manage to switch nominees, I will vote for him rather than face another 4 years with Obama expanding his dictatorial powers. If Romney wins, we have a huge job ahead of us: we have to work, really work HARD to transform the Republican Party. This nation needs no less.
As for an opus—any time someone expresses a thought on here that annoys the mods, that post can become an opus, whether or not it was intended as such. I would prefer not to opus out. Getting zotted is another matter.
IMHO, Readily identified donors is not the way to go.
Some would prefer not to be identified.
Debate could be stifled in a "class" system. Some may be intimidated not to partake in a debate with an identified "donor" and we all could the poorer for missing their ideas.
I do think we have 'both' on these threads. When you follow their posts it generally becomes evident which are truly supporting Romney and those who are "afraid" Not to vote for Romney. Then you have those who are both afraid AND Supoorting Romney.
Either or anyway they vote....there will be no line on their ballot to explain why they are voting for Romney....it's a "FOR" Romney vote,... and 'FOR' his platform...and that is what will be recorded.
Right. If we have to go to ads, I am merely trying to think of an avenue that could permit donors of a certain amount to have those ads blocked, but not so that others who do not donate would be aware.
Onyx, you do know about the ad-blocking add-ons for browsers, don’t you? They also block pop ups, and I think some block those “sticky-footers” as well. Would people really pay more for blocked ads, when they could block them on their own for free?
Consider this post by Doughty One carefully.
I have been working on FR since 2007 to defeat Romney who is, in my estimation as big a threat to liberty as Obama. I have lived in areas controlled by mormons. I see no difference. Obama coats his goal in class and race while Romney hides that his is coated 100% in his chosen sect. The end goal is basically the same for both.
Again, I am surprised and saddened that you can support Romney given our past history.
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