Well? I’ll probably subscribe if it’s reasonable, but I’d like to know where my money is going.
Mods? If it’s possible, could you give a financial breakdown?
Sure they will open the books for those with a need to know. However, deciding whether you are going to pay the fee of up to $50, probably doesn’t qualify as need to know.
Well, let’s see here now . . . it’s hardware and software and employee costs and etc., like you would get for any business.
I’m not sure if I can put a dollar amount on this stuff, I don’t see the bills. But I’m sure someone in the trade can enlighten us.
But the costs include:
Whatever it took for the Reader to set up the hardware, the server and etc.
The telephone lines in use by the board (and nothing else at the Reader).
The cost of the bulletin board software and any attendant upgrades.
The cost to service the board, including charges by employees of the Reader and any outside guys brought in.
I’m sure there’s other things that cost bux and are necessary to keep the board running but they’re not coming to my tiny little brain right now.
When you put all that on one side of the ledger and look at what the Reader gets for all of this, which is mostly goodwill (we’ve had a limited amount of advertising but no other income), you see why going to a subscription basis is necessary. Lots of outgo but very little income to show for it.
I promise you any subscription fees charged will not go to, say, big parties for the staff.
your humble TubaDiva
Administrator
though I could use a big party, or even a little one, right about now.
ISTR Ed saying in one of the discussion threads that it was about $45,000 a year.
Does anyone know any rich dopers? Sadly I’m serious…
An email is heading your way, Tuba.
I’m . . . stunned.
That’s all I can say, except that I will never see clowns the same way ever again.
your humble TubaDiva
I input your question Mr Sky, into a powerful search engine (http://www.google.com/) & got this URL as a reply:
http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mradiomileage.html
Maybe there is some hidden code on that page that answers it?
Ed, I’ve seen a lot of discussion about “what this costs the Chicago Reader” vs. “the audience for the SDMB is international in scope.”
May I point out that the Straight Dope is, as you well know, a syndicated column with readership in alternative newspapers nationwide (and for all I know worldwide)? To the extent that anything worthwhile accrues to the Reader from this board, why not share costs to the extent possible with the Spectator here in Raleigh, the Baltimore City Paper, and all the other worthy journals who have the wisdom to carry the Straight Dope?
And, as a person who has never been in Chicago and never seen the Reader, may I take this opportunity to thank the publishers and staff for starting this thing and carrying it on for over a quarter century?