[okfn-discuss] How to save a podcasting platform / community with open source spirit?

[Karsten Gerloff]

On Thu, Jul 04, 2013 at 03:40:07PM +0930, John Baxter wrote:
> Tricky situation.  Props for trying to route around the damage!
> 
> 
> Step one - negotiate for another month to work out a solution!  A few weeks
> is probably not enough.
> 
> Step two - work out what the core value is that you're trying to save.  I
> assume it's the community that's important to you (and others)?  Or maybe
> it is the podcast library?  Or something else?
> 
> Step three - can you separate out the core value and find a low cost way to
> deliver that - even if it means letting the rest go?

John's suggestions look good. 

Some additional ideas:

Once you've clarified the core value of the platform, you can try
to find sponsors / donors to keep it going. If the platform is
popular, useful and respected, it has hopefully made friends along
the way. Identify those friends, and get them to support you.

Todo immediately: Are there people among the podcasters who work at hosting
companies? They should ask their employer to provide free
hosting. Are there hosting companies that might like to act as a
sponsor, in return for a logo & link on the platform website
and/or other sponsorship benefits?

Todo a little later, once you've rigged up a way to sustain
operations for a couple of months: Look into setting up a
charitable association to run the platform, or convince an
existing organisation to take the platform under its wing as a
self-contained project. That would give you a legal entity that
can sign contracts and collect donations.
> 
> Step four - can you do any of the same jobs the site is currently doing
> with less money?  e.g. host files with a free/low cost third party?  Do you
> really need your own servers?  Amazon might be one option.  People hosting
> their own files for free on Dropbox or similar could be another.

Yep. Finding ways to operate more cheaply will relieve some of the
pressure, and give you more time to find a permanent solution. But
it won't fix the underlying problem.


> Step five - how can you best monetise?

Careful here. If you see a business model that preserves the core
values of the platform while providing a revenue stream, it might
be worth going for. 

More likely, it's better to position the platform as a
community service that is supported by its users. A non-profit /
charitable approach might give you more credibility here.

But that's a difficult call to make from halfway round the world :-) 
> 
> Step six - let us know how you go.

Absolutely. 

Good luck! 



Best regards,
Karsten
-- 
Karsten Gerloff                      [ ]   <gerloff at fsfeurope.org>
Free Software Foundation Europe   [ ][ ][ ]      [http://fsfe.org]
President                            | |         +49 176 9690 4298
Support software freedom!                [http://fsfe.org/support]

Free Software Foundation Europe e.V. is a German Verein registered
at the Registergericht Hamburg (VR 17030). 


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