Over our nearly two decades of operating radio industry websites there have been many changes to radio and the web.
One thing that hasn’t changed are the struggles of independent web content producers to produce revenue needed to keep sites operating. Sites come and go on a nearly daily basis. As we have content such as our DomainInsight and FCC Application reports that are exclusive to RadioInsight, we believe there is value to subscribers to pay for some of these features. We have plans to expand on those features to add additional content for subscribers in the next few weeks.
Most of our content will always remain free, and we plan on adding a lot more of it as we continue to grow. We’re already the #2 radio industry website in terms of overall traffic and have no plans on stopping there; much of the revenue will be reinvested into continuing to improve RadioInsight and adding new content. Nor am I looking to make millions as nice as that would be. Access to our Premium content will be $5 per month or $50 if paid annually (giving you the equivalent of two months free).
Premium content will begin appearing on Wednesday, July 1. I understand that not everybody will subscribe and will express displeasure with this move. I’ve done all I can to hold off on this move as long as I can, but this is the only way to keep RadioInsight alive and vibrant. You’ll see that in reality not much will change for those who come to RadioInsight for reports on programming changes before anybody else has them.
Thank you all for your continued support of RadioInsight.com,
-Lance Venta
Owner/Publisher
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With respect and appreciation for what you do I really don’t have the desire or need to pay for this. I doubt I have any more money than you do. My home is modest and it’s doubtful that it will be paid for in my lifetime. ReelRadio.com tried this and I stopped, Fybush tried and I stopped going there too.
Run all the advertising you want, I’ll click on ads if it helps but I’m not interested in one more bill, sorry.
Then don’t subscribe.
From the article: “Most of our content will always remain free, and we plan on adding a lot more of it as we continue to grow.”
Well said! Amen! Don’t forget 100,000watts.com!
Mike 704
You said this perfectly! You speak for me! Remember 100,000watts.com?
Apples and oranges.
100kw put everything behind the paywall. Lance isn’t doing that.
100kw’s price point was quite high. $5/month is the change in your couch cushions.
100kw started charging after it was sold to Clear Channel (not taking a shot at Chip for selling, just stating a fact). RI remains one dude, who has gone out of his way to strike a balance between being compensated and overcharging.
You don’t want to or can’t pay, I respect that. But again, I’m curious why you expect a paycheck when you go to work, but you expect Lance to work for free.
Same here on the Fybush site such as Site of the Week, which ended up behind a pay wall too. Anyway we all know ads don’t pay all the bills and I’m seeing many more websites, etc throwing up pay walls.
Additionally, many sites are moving in that direction – some free content, some paid. You can always come by for the free content and not subscribe if you choose. If you want the “premium” information, pay the extra money.
Making sites like this isn’t free, nor is there a ton of money to be had by advertising. So either some things have to be paid for, or everything goes away. Which would you choose?
There are other ways to contribute. When the competition went down and then came back I stayed here and tried to pump up some of the boards with content when I knew of something that might interest others. I stayed loyal to this site when others left. If you look at some of the community boards they haven’t seen any activity in 1 to 3 months and then only a small bit of activity. I fear that going to a paid tier will further discourage others from contributing content which any good site needs to stay viable.
I wouldn’t worry. So far 99% of sites that have gone “freemium” have survived. The portions of the site that you’re talking about I think are going to remain free.
Mike 704
I agree 100% with your ideas! Well said! My first post was also meant for you. I do not agree with geekjedi on this matter in any way.
bobloblaw: No problem. When are you coming by my office to work for free?
Mike;
I agree. I did the same as you. I do not comprehend the logic of taking a free site, that already has a less than desirable number of responses, premium. Many of the local boards haven’t been addressed in months. I don’t understand how this important issue (low participation) will be helped here. Seems counter-intuitive to me.
Because 10% of the content is behind a paywall? I’m missing something here.
Does anyone know if there’s a better source for complete-free material, relating to the radio industry ??
https://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/93609/fcc-applications-75-am-changes-in-san-francisco-twin-cities/
(The first post restricted by this site’s Premium service). IT IS NEITHER FAIR OR JUST.
Well if FCC applications are important to you, then go read the FCC daily digest for free.
Just remember that it takes time for someone to compile that information and turn it into something that’s easy to understand with relevant links and commentary and that time is worth something. Web hosting that’s stable costs money. A site like this would crumble on a $3.99/month web host.
I pay for content that’s worth reading. It’s why I pay to read fybush.com and why I’ll pay for this site. It’s the FAIR and JUST thing to do.
[quote]IT IS NEITHER FAIR OR JUST.[/quote]
Looking past the poor grammar, I’m curious: if your boss decided he wasn’t going to pay you this week, you’d still show up?
After all, in your world, it’s apparently neither fair nor just to get paid for one’s work.
Yes! It is neither far nor just that Lance receive any sort of compensation for his time and effort. All of his work should be free! How dare he!
Now, let’s get off the ledge here. Anything FCC-related is public record, and you can get it from anywhere. Getting it in the form that Lance provides it however, is difficult. Why? Because that takes effort. Effort that Lance puts in and has, up until now, been doing for free.
There is no “better” source that is free. There’s a reason for that.
I can handle to FCC daily digest. It’s not that difficult to understand. Since I’m out of the business and will likely never return (unless there is a sudden demand for 60+ year old DJ’s…doubtful). While somewhat interesting the latest format change, station sale, or station x just got new sweepers isn’t vital to what I’m doing now.
Mike 704
Another well written assessment! My replies aren’t going where I plan to put them. Your ideas resonate well with mine, my friend!
I guess one of us free users could contact a premium user and have them forward us that FCC information… Not suggesting we all do that, just pointing that out.
I LOVE this site because it’s informative, relevant, and FREE. But I don’t NEED to have this site. I will not be paying for the premium content because I have other more important expenses in my life. I guess as more of the site becomes premium content, I will simply move on to other pastures.
But I HIGHLY RECOMMEND that Lance focus more on advertising to pay the bills. It’s a formula that has worked for radio for many years. A paywall is a great way to cut your traffic in half.
Better to have 50% of your viewers pay $5 than 100% of them pay $0.
Advertising has always been a part of this site.
But as one who has run more than his share of niche blogs over the years, even after you put up advertising you’re just watching the pennies roll in.
But you’re talking to someone who used to pay for his own subscription to Radio and Records back in the day. Sure, I could wait for the station copy to be passed to me 3 weeks later, but I wanted news that was still fresh. Compared to what R&R used to cost, $50/year is a bargain.
I spend a great deal of time looking into a lot more than what’s in the daily digest, looking at new sign-ons, oppositions and whatnot. For someone like Lance to do it all for me is worth $5 a month, though I do dig a little deeper out of my curiosity occasionally.
If you don’t like it don’t let the door hit you when you leave. As the saying goes “Bye Felicia”. I don’t think I’ll be able to subscribe when I get a job, but I’m not gonna stop coming here. Once I get a job I’m subscribing to FYBUSH.COM