Last Act for Don Barrett's LARadio.com?

[calguy]

Well it looks as if the final days of Don Barrett's LA Radio website are approaching. Don just posted the news this morning. Still sounds as if there are questions to be answered as to when it may go away all together. Don stated that all subscriptions will be honored and that the column might be delivered daily in an email. He says that those options are "being explored" and that he doesn't have a timetable for when it all will end. For the immediate future he'll continue on, horing current subscriptions.

Kind of sad to lose the site as it was a great way to get news about the LA radio scene, but I guess it was going to happen sooner or later...

 

[goodtimes]

He does this every year.

 

[radioman148]

He does this every year.

Why?

 

[observer8057]

He does this every year.

What a nasty comment. If you had actually been following the situation, you know dire it is. Too many crooked folks give their password to others, meaning Don does not get the revenue to make the project work. He finally came to the realization that many in the industry simply don't care about the people in the business which pays their checks. Also, too many in the industry simply don't care to know anything except their own little corner. I started my subscription to Broadcasting Magazine and Yearbook in eleventh grade so I could know everything possible about my chosen profession. Knowledge has served me well--knowledge far beyond current chart positions and formatic nuances. Why are there so many angry folks in this business????

 

[ChannelFlipper]

This time he means it. He has tried every business model possible and none have worked. He's a shrewd guy who must have other opportunities presented to him on a regular basis. He's probably decided now is the time to take one.

LA Radio was far better for him being around.

 

[musicfan101]

Hey Don - I mean "Observer8057". I can't believe it's already been a year since we last argued, time flies! Listen Don, YOU do this every year in order to gain attention to try and get more people to your site! You don't have to cry wolf in order to gain more followers...actually advertising and marketing might work (you should know this knowing how this is partially how radio stations survive). I'm really tired of you coming on this board every year the moment someone disagrees with the concept of LARadio.com or someone else calls you out for basically crying out to everyone and threatning to shutting the site down. It's getting old man...kinda like the paid subscription model on your site. No one is interested or has disposable income anymore to purchase internet gossip columns, or articles about how Rick Dees visited Japan (for example) or news that anyone can get on this site and many others for free! Listen, LARadio is a GREAT website, it's great when it is free and others can agree with me. You should know password sharing will happen, it happens all the time, and you can't control that! Just please don't spam this board with cutthroat posts the moment someone has a different opinion of the concept of the site!

Now...let's go on to the attack posts towards me and how much of a horrible person I am for not understanding how Don needs to make a living and not understanding the radio industry (even though I work in it). Ready...set......GO!

 

[SimiRadioListener26]

That site should have been redesigned years ago. It looks like an amateur piece of crap.

 

[emailfailed]

The site was redesigned for a time when it was free, and everybody read it, but not many wanted to pay up.

The site the way it is now has been that way almost since the inception of LARadio.com and I along with many others don't see a problem with it.

While it may not seem like it all the time, putting together LARadio.com on a daily basis takes quite a bit of effort, especially when you've become essentially the only industry publication that so many professionals, wanna-be professionals and fans alike depend on.

What makes LARadio.com unique is no matter who you are or what status you have within the industry Don Barrett gives each person equal treatment and a chance to share and tell their own stories, whether you're Ryan Seacrest or Ryan the 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. board operator.

While Mr. Barrett has perform a special service to the Southern California radio industry, as some other people have pointed out news the Mr. Barrett breaks or reports often gets repeated on this forum or picked up and reported elsewhere, that many people can read for free.

The challenge has been, do you keep waking up every morning to report, type and edit a publication that many people not only aren't paying you for, but to have your news you worked so hard to produced picked up by other sources (sometimes without attribution) and passed along to free websites, or do you move on to the next challenge in life?

 

[wdb2003]

I dont look at the site regulary but it was great to look at Los Angeles radio history. Dj's that have passed on or moved out the market. Its a shame its going away. Is there another site dedicated to Los Angeles radio history?

 

[romer979fm]

Now...let's go on to the attack posts towards me and how much of a horrible person I am for not understanding how Don needs to make a living and not understanding the radio industry (even though I work in it). Ready...set......GO!

you're absolutely entitled to your opinion...but my opinion is that you've overestimated how much anyone cares about your opinion.
or mine, probably...

 

[radioman148]

Wow--can't we all get along?

 

[Shannon]

I grew up in LA but have lived in St. Louis for many years. My role in LA radio was a minor one, but it was a time of my life I will never forget. Don's site helps me keep in touch with my "roots." If it goes away, I will miss it greatly. We have nothing that compares to it here in St. Louis. All of you don't know how lucky you are to have this resource!

I admire the tremendous effort it takes to put out a daily column like LARadio. I have offered comments and story suggestions to Don and ALWAYS received a thank note back.

To me, that says something about the person.

Jim Shannon
KTBT, KREL, KWIZ, KEZY

 

[OCradiodude]

I've read Don's site for many, many years. It has come in handy many times in my different ventures into the radio field. Even though I will never be a career DJ, I still appreciated all of the various news and articles on the business.

Something Don may like to consider is an email column much in the same form as TRI here at RI.

It could be more cost efficient and still able to accept some advertising as well.

If Don is reading this, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE save the archives and the where are they now section!

Too many other discussion sites I've used never saved anything. 15+ years of history is erased in an instant.


Kyle Hojem
Radio enthusiast and former mod for RI

 

[observer8057]

Hey Don - I mean "Observer8057". I can't believe it's already been a year since we last argued, time flies! Listen Don, YOU do this every year in order to gain attention to try and get more people to your site! You don't have to cry wolf in order to gain more followers...actually advertising and marketing might work (you should know this knowing how this is partially how radio stations survive). I'm really tired of you coming on this board every year the moment someone disagrees with the concept of LARadio.com or someone else calls you out for basically crying out to everyone and threatning to shutting the site down. It's getting old man...kinda like the paid subscription model on your site. No one is interested or has disposable income anymore to purchase internet gossip columns, or articles about how Rick Dees visited Japan (for example) or news that anyone can get on this site and many others for free! Listen, LARadio is a GREAT website, it's great when it is free and others can agree with me. You should know password sharing will happen, it happens all the time, and you can't control that! Just please don't spam this board with cutthroat posts the moment someone has a different opinion of the concept of the site!

Now...let's go on to the attack posts towards me and how much of a horrible person I am for not understanding how Don needs to make a living and not understanding the radio industry (even though I work in it). Ready...set......GO!

I am certainly not Don and have only met him a couple of times. You jump to erroneous conclusions with NOTHING to back it up--or to add to the discussion, beyond your snarling. I have no dog in this fight. I simply salute someone who has put so much into this institution. Why do you let your bile flow through your fingers on the keyboard? Really happy I don't have to work with you. There are always a few angry grouches in any shop.

 

[observer8057]

Hey Don - I mean "Observer8057". I can't believe it's already been a year since we last argued, time flies! Listen Don, YOU do this every year in order to gain attention to try and get more people to your site! You don't have to cry wolf in order to gain more followers...actually advertising and marketing might work (you should know this knowing how this is partially how radio stations survive). I'm really tired of you coming on this board every year the moment someone disagrees with the concept of LARadio.com or someone else calls you out for basically crying out to everyone and threatning to shutting the site down. It's getting old man...kinda like the paid subscription model on your site. No one is interested or has disposable income anymore to purchase internet gossip columns, or articles about how Rick Dees visited Japan (for example) or news that anyone can get on this site and many others for free! Listen, LARadio is a GREAT website, it's great when it is free and others can agree with me. You should know password sharing will happen, it happens all the time, and you can't control that! Just please don't spam this board with cutthroat posts the moment someone has a different opinion of the concept of the site!

Now...let's go on to the attack posts towards me and how much of a horrible person I am for not understanding how Don needs to make a living and not understanding the radio industry (even though I work in it). Ready...set......GO!

Hey Don - I mean "Observer8057". I can't believe it's already been a year since we last argued, time flies! Listen Don, YOU do this every year in order to gain attention to try and get more people to your site! You don't have to cry wolf in order to gain more followers...actually advertising and marketing might work (you should know this knowing how this is partially how radio stations survive). I'm really tired of you coming on this board every year the moment someone disagrees with the concept of LARadio.com or someone else calls you out for basically crying out to everyone and threatning to shutting the site down. It's getting old man...kinda like the paid subscription model on your site. No one is interested or has disposable income anymore to purchase internet gossip columns, or articles about how Rick Dees visited Japan (for example) or news that anyone can get on this site and many others for free! Listen, LARadio is a GREAT website, it's great when it is free and others can agree with me. You should know password sharing will happen, it happens all the time, and you can't control that! Just please don't spam this board with cutthroat posts the moment someone has a different opinion of the concept of the site!

Now...let's go on to the attack posts towards me and how much of a horrible person I am for not understanding how Don needs to make a living and not understanding the radio industry (even though I work in it). Ready...set......GO!

I am certainly not Don and have only met him a couple of times. You jump to erroneous conclusions with NOTHING to back it up--or to add to the discussion, beyond your snarling. I have no dog in this fight. I simply salute someone who has put so much into this institution. Why do you let your bile flow through your fingers on the keyboard? Really happy I don't have to work with you. There are always a few angry grouches in any shop.

 

[observer8057]

Sorry for the double post. Apologies.

 

[davideduardo]

If Don is reading this, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE save the archives and the where are they now section!

Too many other discussion sites I've used never saved anything. 15+ years of history is erased in an instant.

If there is a cost issue on preserving the site history and the articles and features, I've got unlimited space on my sites hosting service, paid through the end of the decade. I can store the data and have a specific domain for a subset. I'd be glad to put the existing data there and include it in my off-site backups, too. (www.americanradiohistory.com, www.hispanicformats.com, etc.).

 

[Dick Skinner]

If Don is reading this, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE save the archives and the where are they now section!

Too many other discussion sites I've used never saved anything. 15+ years of history is erased in an instant.

If there is a cost issue on preserving the site history and the articles and features, I've got unlimited space on my sites hosting service, paid through the end of the decade. I can store the data and have a specific domain for a subset. I'd be glad to put the existing data there and include it in my off-site backups, too. (www.americanradiohistory.com, www.hispanicformats.com, etc.).

You're a true gentleman, David.

 

[hipman2]

I'm sure anybody would be more than happy to host his archives for no charge given that the articles remain unaltered and attributed to Don. I could set up a special archive site to host and maintain them on a subdomain.

 

[westfield60]

I love Don but this swan song has been going on for about 2 years now. I admit I feel comforted in knowing that the site is there but even I haven't subscribed which really is the best bargin in town. But I cannot imagine how much of an overhead he must have that he cannot continue doing it. Webhosting these days is about 8 bucks a month and writing the daily blog post maybe takes an hour or two at the most. Hundreds of regular housewives are writing online posts these days and I doubt they spend more than that time. I doubt Don is listening to every radio station 24/7 and reporting upon it. He probably has a large array of contacts that now feed him the leads and so this can continue. All he has to do is articulate it in a daily post.

I'm sure Don can have another full time gig and still keep the site going as a side thing and whatever revenue comes in is just extra. I don't think readers would mind if some of the columns were a day or two late in context.