So, I saw Resonancefm.com, a great station in London that broadcasts experimental audio 24/7, is seeking donations. And, I decided to just donate 5 quid and plug my website with this. Simple. Here, read what they ask even:
Sponsor a word on Hooting Yard
Listeners can choose a sentence, a string of words, or a name to be included in a specially-written story to be broadcast on Hooting Yard on 14th February.
Here is how it works:* 1. Donate a minimum of £5 to Resonance.
* 2. Email your selected sentence, phrase, name etc to me at hooting.yard@googlemail.comSimple as that. Donors’ names will be read out on the show, too, unless anonymity is preferred. So donate now, and have your words linked with Dobson, Blodgett, Tiny Enid, or even with Mrs Gubbins herself! So far £11 has been pledged, but I want the final sum to be at least ten times that.
Ok, so here is my email I sent to them, after I donated 5 quid:
On 2/8/07, Jon Phillips
wrote:
1.) Donated 5 quid to resonance through paypal
2.) Phrase: “Visit Jon Phillips’ website, rejon.org”
NOTE: I would rather just have my website linked to your website if possible.Thanks for all that you do!
Jon
And, here is the response I received a couple of days later:
John
Thanks for supporting Resonance. But…
My feeling is that requesting what is basically a plug for your website goes against the spirit of the exercise. The idea is that people choose words they like, or that make them laugh. A blatant advertisement doesn’t fit in with that.
Please choose some other words or, alternatively, I can ask Resonance to return the donation.
XXXXX XXX (name obfuscated)
Now, how did I violate this call for submission? And, how can a station that supports experimental culture deny me on my performance work? Yes, while I’m basically just plugged myself and prefer to get a link on their site, I see no way how this violates the written statement I read, and the impetus for donating.
So, please comment on this if you think I’m in the wrong here.
If you all agree that I’m legit here, I’m going to press harder and if not, then I’ll shut my mouth and just donate. Otherwise, if they don’t go along with, then I’ll ban this station from my playlists (ok, probably not that extreme, as I still think its good to have them and will just give them the money anyway).
You’re wrong. Get over yourself and your views
Damn. +1 for Resonance. Getting over myself duly noted
Well,
Sorry, but Resonance
Ads is no cool …
I guess that Resonance does not aim to win money with advertisement. Although your blog is not a brand, what if firms start having their name publisged on Resonace website for … 5£ !
Could work, but not the goal of an experimental radio station …
Ok, 2 for Resonance. At the same time, if they took more money for this type of ad, which is simple, then they would possibly have a lot of funding
Resonance wins. This kind of thing is an English tradition, they want things like “Badgers are awesome!” or “See you at school Monday, Carlie!” It’s for a laugh, so an ad for a website isn’t much fun at all.
3
Ok, this is a cultural issue. I see now.
Ok, what should I say then. Would this be legit: “dsdDo xcjzp wep iDIJ” or “Rejon.org do not try to spam resonancefm.com” or “zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzPopzzzzz”
Ideally, I can fit in my web url and some type of message that is self-deprecating.
Screw them. If they are all for freedom of expression, they shouldn’t be doing this..but they’re British, so they’re bloody bastards, and dont want to see their brand/idea diluted with a bunch of silly plugs (even if you are a performance artist)
Right! 1 Rejon.org for keeping on with the keeping on…Yah…I’m a bit extreme as well with the idea of taking their “experimental” to the limit.
Chili and Chocolate milk make for greasy farts.
or
Am i the only one who turns around after taking a
large dump and before flushing,pat myself on the
back for doing such a great job.
–a bit of a run-on i know but…
Hahahahahahahahhahahahaahahhahahaha…ah man, I bet they would even object and place quality control on these as well. Man, so lame…
On the one hand, they have every right to object to advertisements, or
anything else they want to exclude. On the other hand, however, they should
have said so up front. If they refused to return your money and required you
to pick something else, I think that would put you entirely in the right and
them entirely in the wrong. However, since they offered to return the money,
I think they have the right to refuse your message.
I think you should come up with some reason they would agree with for why they
should accept a website link. Perhaps they’d allow something like “Support
Free and Open Source Software for a better digital community.
free.software.example.org”, “Defend your digital rights; join the Electronic
Frontier Foundation at eff.org”.
Yes, I agree with you. I will mark your answer as 1 resonance…sooo, looks like its about time for me to make call
Or, could make a self-referential question: Is saying rejon.org advertising or experimental performance?
Yo jon…
big ups to you for asking the question ‘is saying rejon.org advertising or experimental performance?’
isn’t all public identity a performance of sorts? doesn’t paul mccarthy have a ‘brand’ of performance art?
why resonancefm would refuse a statement in the spirit of a zen koan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zen_koan) is beyond me. another question this brings up is why would they refuse your phrase on their show/broadcast, but don’t object to being blogged about by you? you are giving them free advertising right now.
and ‘visit rejon.org’ makes me laugh, but only because i know jon. so it IS in the spirit of the exercise.
Thanks dude…I’m sticking it to them!
Yeah, this is true…I blogged them and brought them attention. Come on!
I really want to get a spam site like http://www.visitpharmacasinoviagra.com and use it as my official site…that would be a challenge to operate in the real world, right?
Well, they ought to have just stuck one weasel word in there, like “to *possibly* be included”.
Still, you do get the sense that they’re looking for appropriate content, not just *anything* - I imagine they can’t broadcast profanity as an example.
I am the obfuscated name in the original post.
Let me make it clear that the decision to refuse an advert was entirely mine. I didn’t even discuss it with Resonance.
The station is on a fundraising drive, with a number of different events and initiatives. The “Sponsor A Word” thing is my own contribution to it, on the show I broadcast. I stand by what I said about the “spirit” of the thing, as some commenters above recognise. If that’s being “British”, so be it.
I note that Jon didn’t reply to me personally to discuss it. Anyway, I’ll be broadcasting live in about three hours, so it’s a bit late to let me know if you want an alternative wording. The offer to return your donation still stands.
My dog,Braithwaite is due to become famous for 15 seconds on Hooting Yard for which I paid £5. I too am British, though Braithwaite is half Dutch. This whole thing is an absolute bloody farrago! Blatant self aggrandisement of this sort is entirely un-British and should be sent to Coventry.
I agree with Mr Key here jon, as the show is not a magazine show, or events show, it is more a live literary experiment. Adverts clearly would seem incongruous. However, look how many new people are visiting your site just to discuss, surely something good has come of it for you.
Why not send him some of those words that insoired you so many years back to be a robin hood of the computer world, like linux…
I’m sure none of his chracters have discussed computers yet, or at least computer software rights!
Have you heard of the Openlab freeware community by the way? They did a clear spot on Resonancefm not long back…
You missed the point Jon. It’s not being British not accepting your blatant plug. It’s just a case of you not quite getting the spirit of the show.
Genius. Dozens who would not have done so have evidently visited your website, Jon, even before Frank’s show has gone out. There is a lesson here. Not sure what. Thanks for the donation - as well as the lively lesson in cultural differences and similarities.
Ed Baxter
programming director
Resonance104.4fm
Thanks for all the responses and discussion on this. I think in the end, clarity of what is asked is important, but also supporting good stations. Thus, I will not ask for my donation back.
In the end, I proposed my statement as an experiment and performance to test the boundaries of what is acceptable for an experimental radio station, and have found that line. Thus, I will send my statement: Patch First, Discuss Later.
Please support ResonanceFM
Get real, this is racking up –what is it?– no such thing as BAD pulicity!! very astute of you.
If yiu are anything to do with hunting yard this is so sad!! a refreshing discovery tainted by poorly excused self promotion. Think twice in future– hey.
Donation for a good cause it good. It will give you good karma.
Keep up the good work!