Don Barrett has been informing and entertaining local radio buffs at LARadio.com for ten years, but it sounds as if the thrill is gone. He posted last week that while the site has become a full-time endeavor, the income hasn't kept up. Readers who avoid the subscription fee don't help. Excerpt:

Simply said, there is much soul searching on whether to continue with the site. A broadcast executive suggests that maybe LARadio has served its purpose and there are enough other radio-related sites to provide information to those who care about this market....

Even though the cost of a subscription amounted to 10 cents a day, there was much objection from those who feel (and continue to feel) that the Internet should be free. Another factor was the Napster mentality that those who were enjoying the site for free felt they were entitled to read the site by hook or crook. Many chose the latter.

[snip]

And so it goes. Do I stay or go? Fold ‘em or hold ‘em. Perhaps you have an idea. Maybe it is even you who shares your password codes with others or cut and paste the entire column and distribute to their address book. I’m flattered but it jeopardizes the future of the site.

He is accepting sponsors now, but won't take subscriptions beyond the end of the year in case he closes the site.

© 2003-2009   •  About LA Observed  •  Email the editor
LA Biz Observed
8:44 AM Sat | Bev Hills billionaire Ron Burkle has $56 million in loans against his two houses. The McCourts have borrowed $28 million on their properties.
Native Intelligence
Jenny Price | Advice for Greenies in a Complicated World
TJ Sullivan | Steve Jones, the self-proclaimed Sire of Wilshire (a nod to the physical address of his former home at Indie 103.1 FM), is back on the air!
Erika Schickel | She gaped at me like I was living history -- Miss Jane Pittman come to put her withered lips to the "Young Only" fountain straw of ageism.
Bill Boyarsky
As newspapers and television pull back from investigative reporting, foundations and other organizations are beginning to fill the void. One of the most interesting is Accountable California, a project of Local 721 of the Service Employees International Union.
Jenny Burman
Thinking more about buying less.
Here in Malibu
This drains to the ocean.
Sponsors
Jewish Journal logo
The California Wellness Foundation
Playa Vista ad
Blogads

Blogads Los Angeles network

Get RSS Feeds
of LA Observed
LA Observed publishes several Real Simple Syndication feeds for easy scanning of headlines. If you wish to subscribe to a feed, most popular RSS readers will do it for you. You can also enter the web address from the XML button below or click on a specific feed. For more help with RSS, try here or here.




Add to Google