People who read The Batavian love The Batavian.
We're hear it all the time: I'm addicted to your site. It's my favorite place for news now. I'm on there at least four or five times a day. The Batavian is just what Genesee County needed.
We appreciate your support, but now we're going to ask you for another level of support. We're asking you to help The Batavian grow, but we're going to give you something back in return.
We'll give back to you expanded coverage, more features for site members and more valuable savings with local businesses.
All we're asking from you is $4.95 per month.
Let me be totally clear: We're not asking you to pay to read news on the site. We're not going in that direction. I believe news should be free, and commenting on the site should be free. That won't change on The Batavian.
But if enough readers pitch in $4.95 per month, we'll be able to do things such as hire staff and expand our coverage.
Here's the best part: In exchange for your $4.95 per month you will receive exclusive coupons and gift certificates from local businesses. Right now we have 20 businesses participating in the program. The total potential annual savings for you is at least $600.
That's right, for about $60 per year, you can save at least $600 a year on things for your home, your car and to dine out at some of the best places to eat in town (the food savings alone is more than $200 per year).
And we will likely sign on more businesses to the program, meaning more savings for you.
- Click here to find out more about how the voluntary subscription program works.
- Click here to review a list of participating businesses and the discounts they're offering to members.
- Click here to join.
Ask me any questions you like in the comments. Thank you for your support!
How do I pay for a
How do I pay for a subscription; I do not have Paypal.
Possibly send a check?
Thank you,
Bonnie
What kinds of additional
What kinds of additional features can site members expect?
Bonnie, Check the join page
Bonnie,
Check the join page for instructions on paying by check.
JoAnne, I have some ideas of features I'd like to add, but I'd rather not discuss ideas publicly. Though, if you have something you'd like to see let me know and I'll see how it fits in.
About the only thing missing
About the only thing missing here is weather forecast/weather radar. I don't know if that's in the works for the future or not.
Bob, we had a weather widget
Bob, we had a weather widget and I got no indication that anybody even paid attention to it. When we started having technical problems with it, we removed it. That was four or five months ago, and until now, nobody has even said a word about it.
That said, the main area of improvement I'd like to deliver is more stories. I think we're reporting only about half the stories we could.
With more help, we could have more people writing, and I'd like to hire somebody to take care some of the tasks that take me away from journalism. There are four or five "investigative" pieces I have to work on, but get little time to pursue them.
That's the main thing I hope to achieve with this program is more and better coverage.
I know you have that "send us
I know you have that "send us news" link on the front right corner, do you get much of a response from that? I wish we had more "Jimmy Olsen's" in Batavia :)
We get some great tips from
We get some great tips from "send us news."
Howard, I hope you are a man
Howard, I hope you are a man of your word and keep this site free. Money is the root of evil. It can even taint once great democratic society's legislative branches...:/
JT, I'm well known throughout
JT, I'm well known throughout the industry as an opponent of paid content.
Two weeks ago, I was exchanging direct messages on Twitter with a media writer and he wanted to know what I was working on and I said I didn't want to say yet. I only told him, "Only Nixon could go to China."
He responded: "Paid content."
Well, not really. We're asking readers to make a contribution to help support The Batavian, but giving back WAY more in exclusive, valuable savings at local businesses -- 10x the value, in fact.
So you're not being asked to pay for content.
I oppose paid content because A) I think newspaper reporters and editors who push that idea as a way to save journalism are smoking something. People will never pay for news online. B) I think news should be freely accessible for the good of democracy.
While my momma taught me, "never say never," I think Betty White will walk on the moon before paid content online is something that's widely accepted by readers, enough to make it a viable option. Even if it gets to that point, I'd have a philosophical objection to deal with before I could charge for access to the site (which is the same reason I plan to keep comments open and free).
Howard, We've got to
Howard,
We've got to support you and our local businesses...or we won't have them anymore.
Thanks,
Sam Tambe jr.
Howard, I would still check
Howard, I would still check out The Batavian even if I wasn't allowed to comment. That said, I believe that your best traffic comes in from the members comments and contributions in the past year. (If you take that part away then you would be that "type" of media outlet. That is sort of what I think you were saying right) ? If not then I am saying it.
Gabor, I think we're saying
Gabor, I think we're saying the same thing.
I believe a free flow of information is what's best for democracy. That means news should be free and comments should be free (not to mention government should ensure a free flow of information).
Thanks for your support, Sam.
Howard, at the same time I
Howard, at the same time I understand it is a business. You have to make ends meet like anyone. I think any optional membership you offer is great, but I would be more interested in seeing some "penny or IPO" stock available.
Gabor, if you sign up, you
Gabor, if you sign up, you are making an investment in The Batavian (and your community). Your dividend? More and better local news coverage. This is our IPO, and at pennystock prices.
Howard, I feel like I make an
Howard, I feel like I make an investment in the Batavian and my community as much as I can right now. My economy hasn't been stimulated yet.
Hey, $600 in annual savings
Hey, $600 in annual savings will stimulate your economy!
Maybe we should call this the "Batavia Stimulus Plan."
Not that I'm unsympathetic to any individual situation -- but look at the offers from just the local dining establishments alone, I'm pretty amazed at what these local businesses have generously offered.