The FreeRideVoice

[offshore1]

Will there be a movie comp? I'm not subscribing unless there's a movie comp.


good luck Steve , as my esteemed colleague Mr. Nut just so eloquently stated, it's going to be difficult to compete in the vast internet arena for viewers' limited time and resources against sites who offer content for free .. 'cough realsurf cough'

it's certainly an ongoing debate: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142 ... 30484.html

[SurfieC]

Sounds very interesting. Good luck, Steve

[steve shearer]

Journalism without advertiser influence may still require an 'audience' focused writing undertone to be successful. Totally honest, independent and unbiased information may not be taken well, and it turn, subscription renewal falls away. Tabloids have used sensationalism to overcome this for years, so that may be an unfortunate unplanned path.

With the internet full of 'free to read' information, the value proposition seems to lie in the unique video concepts, for which I am not sure the subscription prices will sufficiently cover and so 'outside' funding for those project may be required, and in turn, the 'influence free' aspect may be watered down.

Great feedback. My model is Private Eye, the satirical mag/paper from England. They seem to survive.

I've already accepted product from a surfing company and I intend to flow that back to shareholders/subscribers as dividend and give some away to new subs.
The process is transparent, and post edit. but your point is well taken.

Fishing gear would be my achilles heel. I'd sell my soul for a new Stella.
Surf product, not so much.
There's a lot of unknown unknowns.

[godsavetheking]

thanks Gents.

GSTQ, I want your skills.

A regular "insult Nick Carroll through the medium of MS Paint" slot? Cool. I'm off for a surf now but let me know what you're after. PM if you'd prefer

[otway1949]

The Otway could take off his Avatar and contribute , but will definitely subscribe! Thank heavens it wasn't called a free lunch , would have become a voice for disembodied pollies !

I look forward to seeing how the vested interests react without any advertising muscle to sway article content!

[Nick Carroll]

thanks Gents.

GSTQ, I want your skills.

A regular "insult Nick Carroll through the medium of MS Paint" slot? Cool. I'm off for a surf now but let me know what you're after. PM if you'd prefer

Come on I expect more of Freeride's Welsh correspondent.

Surely there's some lame arse local hero you can haul out of the pub long enough to extract a touching yet powerful profile, telling the truth about who really did the business in Wales in 1978 and how the heartless surf industrial complex tossed him aside in favour of some wannabe cleanskin, you know, like Carwyn Williams or someone

To be honest I would love to read a GSTQ take on some amazingly dramatic yet sort of faux ridiculous super surfing situation, you know, Hawaii in the lead up to Pipe etc

I would kick down $100 for that.

That's the challenge shearer, not to give voice to some boring arse French Marxist Theory of Pro Surfing just 'cause nobody else could be fcuked running it, but to do crazy shit on the main stages.

[murrum]

Well done Steve.
I'll definitely go there.
And if you can work in some kind surf-chicken stories - all the better.

[steve shearer]

That's a great idea.

Day one and the response has been solid. Some heavy hitters subbing, i mean how the fcuk did Putin get the link.

Thanks Murrum , there's a natural history category that will be filled in due course.

[steve shearer]

I need photos.

I=phone shots are sufficient.

[crabmeat thompson]

Well why didn't you say so.

I'll photo Reg conducting his northern beaches workshops.

[otway1949]

My first piece is gonna be on Boardie rash or Ichthyosis, Whats worse?.

On a Scale of 1 to 10 No scratchings!

[Grooter]

Nice work Steve!

[localbogan]

When you say that the articles will be free of influence from advertisers, what are you going to do if someone writes an article critical of the big surf company that you have already accepted product from?
Will there be any editorial input from yourself, particularly in the circumstance of someone writing something critical (yet well researched) about yourself, a professional surfer(s), the big surf companies or the ASP?
Particularly something that potentially jeopardises your presence (in the capacity as a journalist) at a surf event.
A good example of this might be if one your contributors submitted an article highly critical ZoSea, even if it was thoroughly researched. That is the dilemma you face if you wish to produce a totally "independent" website free of commercial influence

[PeepeelaPew]

...

[alakaboo]

Will there be any editorial input from yourself, particularly in the circumstance of someone writing something critical (yet well researched) about yourself, a professional surfer(s), the big surf companies or the ASP?

Geez, I hope there is some editorial oversight, because if I hear the story about how you invented the pro tour format again I'd be cancelling my subscription post-haste.

[Yuke Hunt]

I need photos.

I=phone shots are sufficient.

More information.

[Nick Carroll]

Well why didn't you say so.

I'll photo Reg conducting his northern beaches workshops.

Braithy is it true you will soon be departing for Florida to become FreeRide's fly on the wall in Kelly's home town - you know, dish the dirt on who secretly hates him and who painted his statue pink etc - yet risking life and limb in the process thanks to Florida's terrible Sinkhole Crisis

There is literally NO END to the fun you could have in Florida. Nobody's written nearly enough about Cocoa Beach.

[crabmeat thompson]

... and as an aside to the terrible sinkhole crisis and the Kelly hate campaign.

I could squat in Kelly's house. And then set up an anonymous twitter account, where I wear a balaclava and torment kelly with photos of myself putting various beloved household items of his into my anus and balls region.

Then to win over Kelly's admiration, I could apprehend myself and evict the intruder from his residence. You know, like those firefighters that light the fires? So they can be the hero when they put out the fire they started!!

If that isn't new age digital journalism, I'm not quite sure what is.