We are getting more and more people wanting to support us and making donations towards our hosting and running costs which is greatly appreciated.
However, as good as this is, as we invest more into the future plans to produce better and a wider range of podcast and videos, it can be a bit inconsistent.
Yes we have been approached for sponsorship and advertising, but this take an enormous amount of admin to service and the independent integrity we strive to maintain, can start to get lost along the way, which isn’t good.
Then it occurred to me that numerous TV and Radio stations and programs are running text based competitions with no discernible prize. People are paying to enter to cheer on their favourite candidate and paying for the privilege and getting nothing in return, or at best a very low chance of winning the tempting prize on offer.
What no one seems to comment on is that the production of these programs is already paid for by the broadcast network, so anything they make on top is cash in the bank. Did you know they also earn money from PRS every time their theme music is played? All these little add ons all make it a very sweet little deal in the broadcast world.
The likes of X Factor, Celebrity (whatever), The Gadget Show and many, many more offer very little for their audience.
However, back in the down-to-earth-real-world, I thought why can’t we do the same, and bring it more to realistic level?
What is wrong with offering some excellent prizes to a niche audience who have the choice to support us or not, and a fairly high chance of winning a practical and quality something as a result? If they like the podcasts, and fancy entering to win ‘the prize’ they at least have a great chance of winning.
Hence our new way of supporting ourselves helping to reinvest in the on going hosting costs, and program development.
2017 will see an exciting new programs based on Outdoor based content, knowledge, skills, experience and inspiration all aimed at our audience and the wider world.
All for you and anyone who shares our passion and vision.
So if you feel like supporting us, then join in. If not that’s fine too. It’s just a nominal £1 per text entry and a maximum limit of 5 entries. Less than the price of a magazine and better prizes too 🙂