thought long and hard about this before i put it up..................

[WebmasterPete]

This is a somewhat bizarre post, but I have no problem responding to it.

Yes, this site is absolutely a for profit business and I have made no secret of, or apologies for that fact. I think you'd be hard pressed to find similar sites (of any genre) that are more up-front about that than I am.

The comparison of this site to Sears is so far off the mark it defies logic. Sears is a retail outlet that charges for everything they do - we are not. The fact that you are posting on these forums free of charge, and that every scrap of information we provide from the podcast, to the DIS, to the blog is free of charge is a testament to that.

From the very beginning I hated the fact that I had to put ads on this site. I never wanted to. If I hit the powerball tomorrow, every ad on this site would disappear - I could only pray. It's the nature of the beast - the servers that run these boards, the staff that manages them are not paid with pixie dust. The same is true of DIS Radio. Live365 will not except "magic" as a form of payment...they prefer cash.

Late last year we made a business decision that the money being spent on DIS Radio would be better spent on other upgrades and enhancements we'd like to make to these boards, among other things. We underestimated the level of passion our visitors had for DIS Radio and in spite of any jaded notions to the contrary, we actually do care about stuff like that. So, we went back to the drawing board.

We'd prefer NOT to put ads on the station - it's been ad free for years which is why we pay the money we do to keep it going. If we chose any other option with Live365 they would be putting ads on the station themselves. Increasingly it looks like we'll have to go the advertising route. We're trying to avoid it.

But I'm guessing you know all this. Honestly, who cares if you donate or don't donate? If you donate, thank you - if you don't, no harm-no foul. Frankly, I think there are far more important things in life to "think long and hard about" than silliness like this. Either that or there's a bridge somewhere missing its troll.

Pete

 

[Halbleib1]

No one asked any one to donate it was announced! The dis/dreams/podcast is all free services.

Sears.com Seriously? Sears is a store the dis is free.

I agree the Dis is free. But it has become an advertising site for Dreams Unlimited travel as well as for their sponsors. Granted they do not get paid directly by the user and or customer for using their travel services but they do get paid. The more people they attract to the site the more money they make in advertising fees as it attracts business to advertise here. Also the more people they can get to book travel through them the more money they make.

Don't kid yourself people they do not do everything out of the kindness of their hearts. They are a business first.

So there is no mistake I am not saying there is anything wrong with that I am just saying they are a business first. Like any business they need to make a profit to survive.

 

[JenniBugInPink]

Not really, I don't care for coffee, but I still love our Keurig.

Gosh, me too!! I'm addicted to that raspberry iced tea from Celestial Seasonings and I'm usually such a tea snob! It's just ground up tea and fake flavor, but it tastes good! Sorry...wadering...

 

[mainegal]

This is a somewhat bizarre post, but I have no problem responding to it.

The same is true of DIS Radio. Live365 will not except "magic" as a form of payment...they prefer cash.

Pete,
Thanks for your response and great explantion!
One more question - Live365 requires cash. Don't you also have to pay royalties for playing the Disney music? That must be a great expense, too!
Lyn

 

[DisneyKevin]

I agree the Dis is free. But it has become an advertising site for Dreams Unlimited travel as well as for their sponsors. Granted they do not get paid directly by the user and or customer for using their travel services but they do get paid. The more people they attract to the site the more money they make in advertising fees as it attracts business to advertise here. Also the more people they can get to book travel through them the more money they make.

Don't kid yourself people they do not do everything out of the kindness of their hearts. They are a business first.

So there is no mistake I am not saying there is anything wrong with that I am just saying they are a business first. Like any business they need to make a profit to survive.

See Pete's post above.

 

[mainegal]

So there is no mistake I am not saying there is anything wrong with that I am just saying they are a business first. Like any business they need to make a profit to survive.

I remember in a long ago podcast (maybe the anniversay one?), Pete talked about his move to Florida, his love of Disney and his business model. He (and the DIS team) have worked hard to make Pete's business model a success. And yes, many of us have helped him succeed by buying DIS products and buying things from the advertisers. And many of us have benefited from his generosity.

It is all okay!

 

[WebmasterPete]

Pete,
Thanks for your response and great explantion!
One more question - Live365 requires cash. Don't you also have to pay royalties for playing the Disney music? That must be a great expense, too!
Lyn

Yes, we do have to pay royalties on every song played, but the costs there are less than the costs for the station itself. Bundled into the costs charged by Live365 are disk space and bandwidth charges, not to mention the profit they make off it.

 

[mainegal]

I go to the library 2 or 3 times a week where I get many free services.

Just a reminder - a library may appear to be offering free services. But they ane not free! You paid taxes or in some way are paying for those "free" services.

 

[Gav N Becx]

All thats missing is a huuuuuge dollop of whipped cream in the middle and perhaps a couple o' cadburys flakes in the top.
I can always turn to a sour thread for sweet sweet cake.
Hang!

Either that or there's a bridge somewhere missing its troll.

Note to self - use that one at work!

 

[mainegal]

Yes, we do have to pay royalties on every song played, but the costs there are less than the costs for the station itself. Bundled into the costs charged by Live365 are disk space and bandwidth charges, not to mention the profit they make off it.

Thanks for the explanation.

BTW - I have noticed that you do not play Disney music on your podcast the way many other podcasters do. I sometimes suspect that other podcasters are just playing their own copies of the music and are not paying for the rights. (I could be wrong)

In many ways Pete, I see you as a highly ethical prson and I really appreciate that. Thanks for being you.

 

[Halbleib1]

See Pete's post above.

Yeah I saw that after I already posted.

 

[ADP]

I never understood threads like this. The people that run the DIS franchise do so much good for everyone who wish to participate.

Personally, I get so much enjoyment out of this site that the whole DIS team deserve to be gozillionairs as far as I'm concerned. So get out there and win the lottery Pete...You and your team deserve it.

 

[Stacy's a freak]

Live365 will not except "magic" as a form of payment...they prefer cash.

 

[Dorisk3]

I cannot believe the comments directed toward the OP- talk about cliquey.

Ask for all the donations you want, I compare it to a PBS fundraiser, you like what you watch/hear then go ahead and donate.


But for goodness sake, the butt kissing around here has reached a new low- not everyone is going to agree, but this is after all a 'discussion' board.

Pete- as always, thanks for your straight forward answers.

 

[Halbleib1]

Just a reminder - a library may appear to be offering free services. But they ane not free! You paid taxes or in some way are paying for those "free" services.

So true. Nothing is ever really "free" in life.

 

[dalt01]

Either that or there's a bridge somewhere missing its troll.

Pete

Wow, in the original post i went to great pains to say how Pro Dis i am. i explained on page one somewhere that i was just playing devils advocate. and i am not backpeddleing, i will and always have stood behind anything i say, but, there was blood in the water almost immediatly and the frenzy was on, and that happens sometimes, i get that. what does not sit well is the fact that i have been an active member of the boards for over ten years and 2500 posts, most of them acceptable conversion fodder, i have stuck around longer than most likely 75% of these fine folks have even been here. and i get called a Troll????????????

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

Seriously, if I were a member of the team all the constant negativity, criticism, analysis, etc would get pretty tiring. I give kudos that they even provide all of this and stay committed despite such bashing sometimes.

Thanks for FREE DISradio And thanks for the FREE DISboards

 

[DisneyKevin]

So true. Nothing is ever really "free" in life.

Not true.

You are not charged one red cent to view, post or participate in this site or partake of the information contained.

Nada...zip ...zilch...zero.

The podcast is also absolutely free. You need a device to hear it....but the podcast itself costs you nothing.

 

[Halbleib1]

Wow, in the original post i went to great pains to say how Pro Dis i am. i explained on page one somewhere that i was just playing devils advocate. and i am not backpeddleing, i will and always have stood behind anything i say, but, there was blood in the water almost immediatly and the frenzy was on, and that happens sometimes, i get that. what does not sit well is the fact that i have been an active member of the boards for over ten years and 2500 posts, most of them acceptable conversion fodder, i have stuck around longer than most likely 75% of these fine folks have even been here. and i get called a Troll????????????

I agree I think that was uncalled for. They may not agree with you but there was no need to call you a Troll because you did not agree.

Trolls don't exactly stick around very long after the fall out.

 

[Halbleib1]

Not true.

You are not charged one red cent to view, post or participate in this site or partake of the information contained.

Nada...zip ...zilch...zero.

The podcast is also absolutely free. You need a device to hear it....but the podcast itself costs you nothing.

Granted you nor the team do not charge me to listen or participate in the boards but we all do pay out in some way. My comment was not a jab at anyone. Just a statement agreeing with the pp saying that the library is not free. If I listen to the podcast or read the boards I have to pay for my internet service to have access to that information as well as electricity to run my computer/phone or whatever device I use to connect. Indirectly nothing is ever really free.

Thus is life.