Time to Get Back to Work and Charge for It; If the Wildfires Let Me

In January, when I cut back on publishing and paused payments, I pledged to let you know when I resumed writing and charging. That's what's happening now -- unless our house burns down.

BREVARD — This is just a quick note to advise paid subscribers that I have resumed charging for my work.

As I mentioned in the January post announcing a wintertime pause in accepting payments, the focus of the site will change slightly.

Most of the stories will continue to be, as advertised on the NewBeat site, straightforward, thoroughly reported news reports with a local focus.

But also expect more posts like the ones that have appeared in recent months.

Some might include an element of opinion and, if so, will be clearly designated as such.

Others may be the result of a wider scope, such as the recent story about the enthusiasm for President Donald Trump in Pickens County, South Carolina, which I also plan to revisit periodically.

Overall, I plan to treat the site less as a newspaper and more like a magazine. That means you’ll see slightly fewer stories that I feel I have to write — and that you may feel obligated to read in order to keep up with local events — and more stories that I want to write, with, of course, the intention of capturing readers’ interest as well.

So, this is a heads up. If you’re a paid subscriber, and that doesn’t sound like a product you want, you are of course free to cancel your subscription or switch it to “free.”

At the same time, one reason I took a break was my frustration at working nearly full-time for part-time pay — annual revenue that precisely matches my salary as a newly hired night cops reporter in the 1980s.

And while readership of NewsBeat posts ranges from 5,000 to 12,000, fewer than 300 subscribers have agreed to be charged.

I understand, because my priority has always been reach rather than revenue. And I remain committed to providing open access and viewing payments as voluntary contributions.

Still, if you regularly read this work and have never paid for it, I’d be very grateful if you began to do so. (To change status, click on the green “subscribe” button at the top of each story.)

That is, if you can easily afford it. My approach to financial support is like that of one of my favorite podcasters, who often says he wants people’s pocket change, not their rent checks.

One other note: all of this depends on the advance of the ongoing wildfires. Both our home and the rental cabin where we have been staying during an extensive remodel are in the evacuation zone.

Obviously, if one or both are damaged or destroyed in the next few days, our lives may be so disrupted that I cannot continue to publish. If so, I will certainly cease taking payments and inform you that I have taken that step.

As always, thanks for your interest in NewsBeat.

Email: brevardnewsbeat@gmail.com