Subscription-based news site?

Posting and discussion of breaking news in San Diego. Visitors to this forum are welcome to post photos, videos and other items of interest regarding breaking news incidents in the area.
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N6ATF
Posts: 373
Joined: Sun May 15, 2005 1:36 pm

Subscription-based news site?

Post by N6ATF »

Here's a little background about me:
I used to run an worldwide newslinks website formatted somewhat like drudgereport.com called I Don't F@#$ Around News (IDFAN). That, and my writing skills, led to me getting an internship/freelance photojournalist position at The Star-News in Chula Vista a few years back. I discontinued IDFAN due to lack of returning or unique visitors and hence no ability to earn ad revenue.

So...
Today, my parents told me I should start my own local news website because what I tell them about what I heard on the public safety scanner is much better than what the TV news programs provide. A lot of UT online articles are nowhere near what I consider decent news either, with some commentors putting in their own real (or imagined, hopefully not) accounts of the radio traffic.

For example, KUSI News at 10 had a segment about the action at Chula Vista International Raceway today. No mention at all of the crash victim with Copter 1's response. Additionally, the murder on 65th apparently was still too fresh for reportage 1 hour later, even though some stations will start their broadcast sometimes with "Breaking News" in events such as this.

So while I agree in principle that more details are better, I'm not quite sure I want a repeat performance of IDFAN.

It would have to be much different. It couldn't be a one-man show. I would abandon advertising in favor of a subscription model, where you see the lede free but have to pay to see the full article. And I would need to turn webmastering over to the experts, as long as the editorial interface is left open and uncomplicated.

With a subscription model, it would better support the addition of staff reporters and photojournalists. And photogs could also sell higher-resolution prints/videos straight from their relevant articles. This the kind of advertising that makes sense and shouldn't turn off habitual ad blocker/ignorers like me.

I'm not trying to steal you away from your existing stringer work, but wouldn't this be a great supplemental income if you could get way better copy under your photos/video? Copy that people can get as much a kick out of as you or I?

I'm not sure if there's a website out there already exactly like this. The news paging services are great for what they are - short message services, but this would be for readers who want more detail, unsanitized (uncensored, even) news, that they can sit down, read, and be amazed by. Especially if they happened to pass by or otherwise be affected by the events.

So here's where you tell me I'm a kook and not to quit my day job. Or discuss, because I can't possibly succeed without your help. It doesn't even necessarily have to be a website. Just as long as it has a good revenue stream.
PStuart
Posts: 108
Joined: Sun May 14, 2006 1:33 am

Post by PStuart »

Interesting. I think that you have a good idea with the uncensored news, but I would have a hard time paying a subscription fee for that service. It seems most of the internet is getting away from paying subscription fees in exchange for ad services. I personally, would rather have ads on the page than have to pay a subscription fee. Any idea what you would charge? Would it be monthly or yearly based subscriptions? How exactly are you looking for people to participate?
N6ATF
Posts: 373
Joined: Sun May 15, 2005 1:36 pm

Post by N6ATF »

What I see is the internet getting cheaper in general. I've looked into some mainstream advertising services and it seems like unless you're a Fortune 500 company who can set their own supply & demand, you're not going to get enough ad revenue to sustain a site. Lots of sites I've bookmarked have likely died for this reason.

Since anybody with any facility with computers, at least, has ad blocking software of some sort, the Copleys and such have to resort to tricks to get around the blocks. I'd rather dispense with the ad war altogether.

Subscription would probably be between $5-10 a year? If actual scanner recordings of the incidents were mandatory, probably $10. It would definitely help from a fact-checking perspective.

I think IPN is a good model from a participation standpoint. Scanner listeners can sign on to be reporters and get free access to the other articles if they were busy/asleep while another big incident was working and didn't catch all the details, as well as getting paid with a rewards system. Photogs would retain full rights over their low-res shots and get free advertising for the hi-res stuff like I said before.

P.S. Danny, you are definitely invited to be a part of this project, since I'm borrowing heavily from your expert model anyway.
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