Monthly Goal #1 (Cover Expenses)

Goal #1: $510
Currently: $510

Goal #1 has been reached! Let's hope we continue to grow (and not shrink back under Goal #1. In the interest of full disclosure, here is a list of what costs are covered by Goal #1.

Expense	Cost/Month	Monthly Total	Cost/Year	Annual Total
Web hosting	$22	$22	$264	$264
Podcast hosting	$120	$142	$1440	$1704
Domain fees	$12	$154	$144	$1848
Misc fees	$50	$204	$600	$2448
Equipment Upkeep	$30	$234	$360	$2808
GDC	$125	$359	$1500	$4308
AGC	$95	$454	$1140	$5448
MMO Fees	$56	$510	$672	$6120

Monthly Goal #2 (Member Perks & Conference Team)

Goal #2: $517
Currently: $378

Goal #2 attempts to give a little back to the hard working podcasters and generous members. If this goal is reached VirginWorlds should be able to partially fund the expense for podcasters and contributors other than Brent to attend some game conferences and bring back the best content. Also, in an effort to ensure the member perks are cool and 'leet' we should establish a real budget for it.

Expense	Cost/Month	Monthly Total	Cost/Year	Annual Total
Conference Team	$317	$317	$3804	$3804
Membership Perks	$200	$517	$2400	$6204

(New memberships do not update this status immediately.)

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Supporting VirginWorlds

VirginWorlds aims to continue supporting the MMO gaming community by providing an excellent source of news and entertainment both on VirginWorlds.com and on the podcast. Like any growing web presence, the need to monetize eventually appears. The question is how is this best done?

VirginWorlds is not inclined to monetize the site through unsightly and annoying advertising. There are three reasons for this:

1. The first is quite simply a matter of web design. Ad banners are ugly. They disrupt the flow of the site and consume valuable screen real estate. You don't want to see them and we don't want to wedge them into the site and manage them. The internet at large pays for itself with ad revenue, but it doesn't have to be that way.

2. Second, it is difficult to remain an unbiased source of news and insight when an advertiser is paying the bills. This factor plays into all forms of media and is a constant struggle for magazines, television networks, newspapers and web sites. If a huge game publisher is writing a check to an editorial website each month, how can that website be 100% neutral in any evaluations regarding that publisher? It is virtually impossible, especially when there is no separation between those running the business and those doing the editorial work.

3. Third. It is a risky business model. Would you rather get $1 from 100,000 people each year or $100,000 from one person? Advertising follows the latter model, but the former is much healthier. A pool of 100,000 will ebb and flow a bit, but a single individual or entity can change a scenario in a heartbeat. If a website wants to establish consistent cash flow it must come from many sources, not just a handful of advertisers.

VirginWorlds is not inclined to monetize the site through retail or affiliate programs. Two reasons:

1. VirginWorlds isn't "the best in the world" at online retail. There is a philosophy that if you cannot realistically expect to be the best in the world at something, you might want to reassess your objective. When it comes to MMORPG information and opinion, VirginWorlds may be the best someday. There aren't many factors standing in the way. On the other hand, VirginWorlds is never going to beat GoGamer, GameStop, Barnes and Noble and Amazon at the online retail business. Online retail isn't a passion for VirginWorlds, MMO games are.

2. Affiliate programs, such as the VirginWorlds Amazon store, are nice resources, but they're not efficient business models. If a website has a few million unique visitors per month, affiliate programs can generate substantial income, but VirginWorlds is a long way from achieving the volume of traffic required to survive on affiliate sales alone.

VirginWorlds is not inclined to charge a subscription or fee for content. The reasons are clear:

1. The record and movie industries are fighting this battle now, and they're losing. Badly.

2. Podcasts are free. They're considered free. They're expected to be free. Websites tend to be free as well unless there is a service associated with the site that accomplishes something we can't get for free. VirginWorlds deals in information and that information is free. It is only news and the scrappy opinion of a few enthusiasts. We can't charge for news. We don't want to charge for news.

VirginWorlds is not inclined to take one-time donations. People have often asked, "Where is the donate button?" There never was one. Many podcasts take donations and some surely cover many costs and then some via donations, but donations are temporal. Donations happen once and people never donate again. It is great that donations are given, but they are only a temporary boon.

Eliminating all of these items leaves one on the table. Membership programs. Non-profits use membership programs as key fundraising tools. The Humane Society, the Red Cross, PETA, the Democrats and Republicans, Green Peace and many more.

A membership program is a donation with a couple of differences:

1. It provides consistent funding.

2. It provides the members with added value.

Membership with VirginWorlds will provide the following perks to members.

1. Access to special members-only VirginWorlds Podcasts. The current VirginWorlds podcast will not change at all, but from time to time, members will receive access to special shows that will not be part of the normal podcast feed.

2. Inclusion in members-only contests and beta key releases.

3. Some membership plans will get a gift from VirginWorlds. This could be a t-shirt, a mouse pad, or any number of other possibilities.

4. The opportunity to be named as a sponsor of a podcast or some other aspect of VirginWorlds.

5. Many other things we're dreaming up. Custom avatars and titles, a revamped karma system - your suggestions are welcome!

Final notes:

1. Whether you're able to become a member or not, VirginWorlds appreciates your continued support, monetary or otherwise.

2. This membership program is not applied to the VirginWorlds Podcast Collective as a whole, however the membership dues will be applied toward the hosting of the current podcast Collective and will facilitate the addition of new shows in the future. Other members of the Collective may opt to recognize the membership program for feature content or giveaways as they see fit.

3. Who the heck is Fortuity Media LLC? VirginWorlds = Fortuity Media LLC. In the US it is difficult (or painful) to set up certain kinds of accounts without having a business Tax ID number. Fortuity Media was set up to be a limited liability sole proprietorship in order to make things a little easier.