QUICK POLL: SHOULD THE WOJ BECOME A SUBSCRIPTION BASED WEBSITE? (UPDATED)

[Soundjata]

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NEW:

Poll Results are out and can be viewed here


The WOJ will remain FREE. Give thanks for all the rasponses, it has been proven to be really useful for InI working on the back-end of the website.

Nuff Love!

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Thanks for taking some time to answer this poll. This is a question and an invitation to reflect on the nature and the potential of the woj. InI thought that I could learn a great deal with the input from the Is, and I hope this reasoning would lead us to higher heights.

InI at the woj have been quietly working a lot on creating a brand new platform for the woj (surprise launch is scheduled for next month!), with potentially far more features than the current one. However our past 2 years experience has shown us that managing such a large website does require funds and serious time commitment and therefore InI have been thinking about ways to deal with these for the next 2 years to come. In fact, the current woj site has been built without much planning, due to I personal flaws. But for the years to come InI is trying to be more focused and organised regarding the running of this platform.

While we enjoy working for the works, InI believe that by stimulating the Rastafari economy we could allow for much greater works to be accomplished. In this light, InI wanted to reason about the following suggestion: moving the site to a paying platform for this summer's massive relaunch.

Please note that in any case, people who could not afford it would b given free access to the site given their circumstances. In fact InI perfectly overstand that many of InI r struggling.

The subscription based platform would have all the features of the current one, and even more. A few of the new features members will have access to include:

-a Rasta blog irated by paid rasta writers
-a monthly Rasta magazine
-live and recorded video reports of concerts, audio books, etc.

Furthermore if the subscription model was proven to be a success we could potentially offer one ticket to Shashamane everytime we reach an extra 1000 members.

Such a model would allow the woj to do so much for the works, still building on the first steps taken with the woj foundation we would livicate 40% of revenue towards helping the elders, sistrens and youths of the global Rastafari family.

InI is now considering this option, nothing is decided yet, but these are things that needs to be reasoned upon at times. HIM instructed InI to organise, and therefore InI is trying to think ahead and striving to do something far greater than what we might think is possible, or "to be more than we could ever be". The needs are great and the works are plenty. InI will be looking forward for the Is rasponses, it will help us greatly to forecast, plan for the months and the years ahead and reflect on these works.

PLEASE VOTE HERE

and comment if u wish. (suggestions are more than welcomed!)

This post will be opened until wednesday, by then we should have gathered enough feedback to come up wit an informed decision.

Give thanks in advance.

Soundjata

[MR Skeptic]

ok that would be nice but not everybody will want to pay that it's best u gave people a choice either be a free member with limited access or a member who pay's and get's maximum access

:)

[Soundjata]

Give thanks for the prompt answer Bredren and for the suggestion,

Indeed I forgot to mention this is part of the plan. A non-member would only be able to access some of the features of the site, such as the news page (Rasta blog), the photos and the reasonings (details needs to be finalised). Participatin in the forums and features such as videos, live shows and magasine publications (like the I-Art) will be reserved to subscribing members.

Be well
Soundjata

[Chamor]

most of JAH people cannot pay to access...
keep it free...

[sistacaro]

blessed love
I overstand but I think keep it free too,
I don t like di idea of money to be a member, I know we are in Babylon system and money is necessary to give food to di children but all what I am doing for jah, sharing knowledge , chanting, dubpoeting, telling story of kebra negast releaze cd for give all di benefit to di elders in jamaica and ithiopia, I don t ask nobody for dat, I did and do it with I money cuz it is my duty, it is mi jahworks. I work as storyteller (with story of di world) to get money and use this money to work for jah more and more and to give food to mi youths also of course :-), so I think that it will be better feeling to have access to all for free.if I have to pay, it won t be the same feeling .
do what your heart and your I guide tell you
jah bless

[Dr. IMANBLAK]

its a matter of how much...quarterly, yearly, etc....plus limit on options to those who cant afford it...which could be many

[Lioness Heart]

I&I agree... All depends. Maybe yearly at not such a steep fee? We all struggling right now... Give thanks Bredren Soundjata for bringing this across to the readers.

[Natrlessence]

Maybe you could set it up where you can make donations of different amounts. Or give people the option as the Bredren said to either be free with limited access or a paying member with maximum access. There are so many ways that the I's could do this. Although, if you become a paying member the I's would want to know exactly where the money is going and how it will be used.

Peace and Blessings

[Soundjata]

Chamor:
give thanks for the rasponse. I take due note of this, it is never i attention to put off the whole imunity from this platform, hence this reasoning.

Beloved Dr ImanBlack
different options could be available. For the most affordable scenario we could look at $1/month which represents $12/year. I guess we could still give bredrens and sistrens who cant afford it free access to the site, depending on circumstances.

Natrlessence
Give thanks for the suggestions. Of course if such a structure would be put in place, InI will do our best to run this as a serious thing, wit all due respect to the Rastafari imunity and providing detailed reports of our activities. Furthermore if this is to be implemented the woj would require some form of legal status, which would oblige InI to be good accountants.

Nuff love.

[Soundjata]

Give thanks for the strong rasponse Bredren. I perfectly overstand that not everyI would b able to afford it, and this would not be a problem at all since we cd easily give free access to those who cant genuinely afford it. Still these are only assumptions, but instead on reflecting on these things on I own I thought ill bring the discussion to the Imunity, so that InI can learn from this reasoning power.

I will particularly reflect on the Is last sentence:

"No, InInI must find a way to reconcile any financial disparity WoJ is experiencing, so that others may find the path to Zion"

any suggestions welcomed.

b well
Soundjata

[ras bretto]

SO IF YOU DONT WANT TO PAY WELL WE WILL GET 1PAGE AND IF YOU CAN PAY YOU GET MORE???????? SOUNDS LIKE THE RICH GETTING RICHER AN THE POOR GETTING SHIT!!!

[Soundjata]

Fyahpowah
it is financial really. I overstand that ur havin limited means, but the question iman is genuinely askin is $1/month or $12/year an impossible stretch?

Andrew Wonders
Give thanks for ur rasponse. I overstand the Is rightful points.

Ras Bretto
Im not rich, matter of fact Iman gone hungry some days while still payin the monthly fee to make this site a reality. And with 3000 members at $1/month under the current plan the poor would get $1200/month in the form of grants to rastafari charities in Africa and elsewhere. This is not "shit": "shit" is gettin nothing. Still i give thanks for the feedback

perfect Peace.

[Empress Beverley]

Greetings Soundjata,
I(womb)man have been thinking- I know there are many imdependent roots Rasta businesses that are looking to outreach to I and I to sell their products and services. Clearly I and I do not want this site to turn into some corporate market or something, but if members have small local businesses which follow proper and ethical productions and want to reach out to I and I to share their goods, would they be willing to pay to advertise? as I say those words I half want to take them back as I am reminded of Yashua chasing the vendors out of the temple with a whip, but I overstand it costs money to run such a large site and that the money would have the best of intentions. I and I will find a way, but I must agree with Mr. Andrew Wonders that if we are truly a libartionist theology we cannot be "for sale".
Thanks and Blessings,
-Bev