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Why Does NS Need donations?

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volvotom
Posts: 2045 - Karma: 712
More of a question than me calling out NS, but it is owned by a large corporation and I would imagine is probably at least close to self-sustaining if not fully profitable. Am I wrong? I really enjoy the community here however I don't see the merit in giving more money to a corporation that is already benefiting from distributing me ads and my many, many page views a month.

What are the finances of NS like?
Mar 14 2013 3:00AM
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.Hugo.
Posts: 17360 - Karma: 28,484
iss all bout gittin dat dolla sine son
Mar 14 2013 9:59AM
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corona
Posts: 12795 - Karma: 32,747
I donated so when I'm watching a bunch of videos and start to really get pissed off by ads I can turn on adblock and not feel bad about it. I'll probably fork up another 5 or 10 bucks sometime soon again too
Mar 14 2013 10:34AM
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corona
Posts: 12795 - Karma: 32,747
although admittedly I'm definitely getting more use out of my donation than the site would have got had I not blocked any ads, especially since recently I've been overly annoyed by any ads and have had adblock on 24/7
Mar 14 2013 10:43AM
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oil.
Posts: 2255 - Karma: 1,254
it would be cool (if possible) that any donater wouldn't have to watch video ads? would be a cool little perk. or maybe only if you've donated like $20+.
i think donations are a cool way to put money into a very deserving industry also.
Mar 14 2013 11:04AM
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t_rob
Posts: 6433 - Karma: 11,458
There was a time when NS wasn't owned by a large corporation. There was a time when Google adsense didn't really exist. There was a time when ski companies didn't understand advertising on the internet.
Mar 14 2013 11:50AM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,635
Funny story with this...

Basically when we sold Newschoolers, we announced the end of donations. We said thank you to everyone who had done so, but that we no longer needed money. Especially since the money would just be going to a big media corporation, and not to the office.

There was mass revolt, and people demanded to be able to donate.

I refused to just take money and give it to a big media company, so we started giving T-shirts away in exchange for a donation.

People again revolted and were extremely upset that it wasn't a true donation if you got something in return. Donations with nothing in return that were going to a big media corporation were added back to the site.

We are perfectly financially stable, so Donations are by no means necessary. I know that some people are really happy to give their money to something which means so much to them, and believe me we appreciate this to the deepest amount you can imagine.

The amount that the members of Newschoolers care about the site is absolutely unreal. Every time a new donation comes in it practically brings a tear to my eye the level of commitment that represents.

We do always invest revenues into improvements on the site, salaries and overall awesomeness - so you can know that your money goes to a good place.



Mar 14 2013 12:10PM
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theblackrod
Posts: 2162 - Karma: 575
We do love this site, that's why we felt such a strong need to donate.

Makes me extremely happy to hear that level of appreciation, Bishop. We love you guys.
Mar 14 2013 12:44PM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,635
OK you're making me all choked up here...
Mar 14 2013 12:55PM
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Drail
Posts: 14012 - Karma: 10,010
Is there any way you can just take the donation money and put it towards the beer fund for the office without the 'big guy upstairs' knowing about it?


'big guy upstairs' would be the parent company, not god... I kinda made it sound like I was talking about god there didn't I. I'm sure god wouldn't mind you taking the donation money and spending it on beer though.
Mar 14 2013 12:57PM
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t_rob
Posts: 6433 - Karma: 11,458
Why can't the money go to the bishop way instead of Grind?
Mar 14 2013 1:15PM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,635
Well, that wouldn't be right on our end. Our staff are fairly compensated for our work on NS, as well as given operating money for stuff like office supplies (which we do spend on beer occasionally). That was part of selling the site.

So its only fair that the owners get all the revenue, and we don't skim anything off the top. Concurrently, we receive money from them and they allow us to do fun stuff.

What we could do is start tallying donation amounts monthly and specifically spending our operating budget on beer based off of that....

Come to think of it...
Mar 14 2013 1:53PM
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volvotom
Posts: 2045 - Karma: 712
That's exactly the answer I was looking for. Perhaps convince the suits to let members earmark a location for such donations? I would give if I knew the money was for sure going to buy you guys beer.
Mar 14 2013 3:35PM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,635
We'd have to keep this simple to not lose track of it. We could track all donations, and then establish a monthly fund. We put this against the expense account, and staff are able to spend the money at the bar buying drinks for users at events or something like that.

YOu guys should press Schmuck on this. He's managing all those types of budgets, maybe when he gets in here we can harass him to make this happen. :)

Mar 14 2013 4:31PM
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1337
Posts: 31054 - Karma: 29,231
IF3 2013 fund starting now
Mar 14 2013 5:00PM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,635
Hahahha... we spent WAY too much money. We'd need like a year of donations to cover that tab. ;)

Mar 14 2013 5:03PM
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1337
Posts: 31054 - Karma: 29,231
Get it on paper and I'll start to chip in. It was well worth it
Mar 14 2013 5:13PM
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DeRizzo
Posts: 3827 - Karma: 3,485
I just gave $5 so I could be $wag
Mar 14 2013 10:28PM
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JTTrembles
Posts: 1108 - Karma: 1,907
I can't name a website that doesn't need/want money.
Mar 15 2013 6:38AM
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maximiliaan
Posts: 7711 - Karma: 2,857
see that dollar sign? bitches love it
Mar 15 2013 7:44AM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,635
Money really assists a business in sticking around for the long haul.

No money usually equals business failure.
Mar 15 2013 10:20AM
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RimJobber
Posts: 3313 - Karma: 10,058
So since I already donated 5, if I donated another 10 would it add on to give me a yellow or would it just replace it to give me a silver?
Mar 19 2013 1:31PM
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Silence
Posts: 16030 - Karma: 150
Should affiliate with a local resort and donate it to a member-designed park takeover
Mar 20 2013 8:20AM
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volvotom
Posts: 2045 - Karma: 712
Which is in and of itself part of Source Interlink Companies Llc. Just like radio stations, "magazines" (and digital magazines) are controlled by a handful of large monopolies.
Mar 21 2013 2:28AM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,635
You got it.
Mar 21 2013 8:51AM
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Blurst
Posts: 13577 - Karma: 10,169
I donated back in the day when you send in a SASE and the money went straight to the beer fund. Things change, the aura around having a dollar sign doesnt though.
Mar 21 2013 11:12AM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,635
Those were the days. :)
Mar 21 2013 12:14PM
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SwaggerAsFucc
Posts: 353 - Karma: 13
You should send all the money to E.Heath so he can make evan heath visual bigger than 4bi9 and Level 1
Mar 21 2013 3:51PM
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.frenchy
Posts: 18221 - Karma: 12,321
Lol I had a GrindTv account before I had an NS account.... like 2008 or 2007 I was on Grind, that site isn't that good compared to NS that's for sure.


I think I donated my firs 25$ a couple years ago then another chunk after that. Gotta love the baller status.

I worked hard for that money too, I was pretty young when I joined (Still kinda am compared to other members..) Felt good donating my money to a site that I loved so much, it was like one big happy family!
Mar 21 2013 9:45PM
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