News:

Long overdue maintenance happening. See post in the top forum.

Main Menu

The Tulsa Frontier

Started by Conan71, August 04, 2015, 03:55:29 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Conan71

I could have sworn a topic was already started regarding Bobby Lorton's upstart, The Tulsa Frontier.

Thus far, I've been reasonably impressed with the coverage and he did take some of the World's best writers.  It looks like they have done enough teasing and are ready to start making some cash.  So here's your options:

https://www.readfrontier.com/account-information/membership-levels/

QuoteFrontier
$30.00 per month
Unlimited access to all content.

Pioneer
$1,000.00 one time charge.   
Membership expires after 1 Year.
Pioneer members receive a 12-month membership to all Frontier content, Frontier coffee mug and tote bag and access to future Frontier events and early access to special reports.

So, let's see:

$360 a year for unlimited access to all content which will probably be distilled in the Whirled or local electronic media

-or-

For the smoking one year membership fee of $1000 you get a coffee mug, tote bag, access to "special events" (What? Like a happy hour?) and early access to special reports.  (Like how early access?).

I really don't get why anyone other than Lorton's closest buddies would spend $1000 a year for news feed.

It's a bold move since the news is ad free, but without this being of national interest, I really don't see how you can make the revenue you need to without advertising.  I like what they have done so far, but this almost smacks of the hubris of the Jones boys when they started the Tulsa Sentinel after they sold the Tribune off to the Lortons.  AquaMan may remember better than I do, but I don't think the Sentinel made it a year. 

I like to read the stories from the Frontier, but I'm not finding a vast enough product difference to justify spending $30 a month to keep up.  I figured it would be $10-$20 a month, tops, and I'd have no problem as that is comparable to a TW subscription.
"It has been said that politics is the second oldest profession. I have learned that it bears a striking resemblance to the first" -Ronald Reagan

swake

Quote from: Conan71 on August 04, 2015, 03:55:29 PM
I could have sworn a topic was already started regarding Bobby Lorton's upstart, The Tulsa Frontier.

Thus far, I've been reasonably impressed with the coverage and he did take some of the World's best writers.  It looks like they have done enough teasing and are ready to start making some cash.  So here's your options:

https://www.readfrontier.com/account-information/membership-levels/

So, let's see:

$360 a year for unlimited access to all content which will probably be distilled in the Whirled or local electronic media

-or-

For the smoking one year membership fee of $1000 you get a coffee mug, tote bag, access to "special events" (What? Like a happy hour?) and early access to special reports.  (Like how early access?).

I really don't get why anyone other than Lorton's closest buddies would spend $1000 a year for news feed.

It's a bold move since the news is ad free, but without this being of national interest, I really don't see how you can make the revenue you need to without advertising.  I like what they have done so far, but this almost smacks of the hubris of the Jones boys when they started the Tulsa Sentinel after they sold the Tribune off to the Lortons.  AquaMan may remember better than I do, but I don't think the Sentinel made it a year. 

I like to read the stories from the Frontier, but I'm not finding a vast enough product difference to justify spending $30 a month to keep up.  I figured it would be $10-$20 a month, tops, and I'd have no problem as that is comparable to a TW subscription.

It's a pretty steep price for what looks like 1-2 articles per day.

Breadburner

 

sgrizzle

I am not sure it's their "Best" writers considers it includes the byline behind the Beautiful Brands fluff.

The price is ridiculous imho. As mentioned above, there is some decent content but it will get regurgitated to other media like the World. Maybe the TulsaNow forums should have been charging the World $1k/yr for the past decade.

Conan71

Quote from: sgrizzle on August 04, 2015, 06:27:09 PM
I am not sure it's their "Best" writers considers it includes the byline behind the Beautiful Brands fluff.

The price is ridiculous imho. As mentioned above, there is some decent content but it will get regurgitated to other media like the World. Maybe the TulsaNow forums should have been charging the World $1k/yr for the past decade.

The Pulitzer committee probably wasn't aware Ziva had a habit of playing the house organ for BB.
"It has been said that politics is the second oldest profession. I have learned that it bears a striking resemblance to the first" -Ronald Reagan

Breadburner

If they were smart they would offer it free for a period of time then start charging.........
 

swake

Quote from: Breadburner on August 05, 2015, 10:43:59 AM
If they were smart they would offer it free for a period of time then start charging.........

They have been for a couple of months now.

Breadburner

Quote from: swake on August 05, 2015, 10:55:37 AM
They have been for a couple of months now.

Probably going to take a little longer than that.....
 

heironymouspasparagus

They can't be that great...haven't seen their coverage on the latest Tennessee shooting that happened an hour ago or so....
"So he brandished a gun, never shot anyone or anything right?"  --TeeDub, 17 Feb 2018.

I don't share my thoughts because I think it will change the minds of people who think differently.  I share my thoughts to show the people who already think like me that they are not alone.

Conan71

Quote from: heironymouspasparagus on August 05, 2015, 02:40:40 PM
They can't be that great...haven't seen their coverage on the latest Tennessee shooting that happened an hour ago or so....


Not their deal.  In-depth local interest seems to be their niche.
"It has been said that politics is the second oldest profession. I have learned that it bears a striking resemblance to the first" -Ronald Reagan

heironymouspasparagus

Quote from: Conan71 on August 05, 2015, 03:20:04 PM
Not their deal.  In-depth local interest seems to be their niche.


I'm not really chastising them for that - there are more than enough adrenaline junkies out there going after these stories.

"So he brandished a gun, never shot anyone or anything right?"  --TeeDub, 17 Feb 2018.

I don't share my thoughts because I think it will change the minds of people who think differently.  I share my thoughts to show the people who already think like me that they are not alone.

swake

Quote from: heironymouspasparagus on August 05, 2015, 04:52:38 PM

I'm not really chastising them for that - there are more than enough adrenaline junkies out there going after these stories.



But you just did chastise them for not covering the story.

heironymouspasparagus

Quote from: swake on August 05, 2015, 05:06:46 PM
But you just did chastise them for not covering the story.


Yeah, I did... I'm just not serious about that one.


And I am admitting to it quickly.
"So he brandished a gun, never shot anyone or anything right?"  --TeeDub, 17 Feb 2018.

I don't share my thoughts because I think it will change the minds of people who think differently.  I share my thoughts to show the people who already think like me that they are not alone.

sgrizzle

Quote from: Conan71 on August 05, 2015, 08:57:22 AM
The Pulitzer committee probably wasn't aware Ziva had a habit of playing the house organ for BB.

Maybe they did and that's why she didn't win.

Hoss

I hate to revive an old topic, but I felt it was on topic...

Frontier removes paywall as of yesterday (11/29) and goes non-profit.

https://www.readfrontier.com/stories/frontier-taking-paywall/