Motley Fool Charging For Message Boards

[Marvster]

Thought this might interest those who were tossing the idea around for Music Player. Now, bear in mind that -- though these boards are wonderful -- the Fool message boards are truly, TRULY exceptional. They hardly ever stray off-topic, and I've never posted an investing question (even complex stuff about AMT, etc.) that I didn't get a definitive answer to within a day. The decision for Music Player to "go subscription" is just a matter of math. Will they make more money with subs than the lost ad impressions they should be charging for? (And don't tell me you can't make money on banners. I have first-hand knowledge of several companies who still charge for 468 x 60 impressions, and consider it an important source of revenue. That said, MP would do well to consider carving out the real estate for some larger, mega banner sizes and Flash ads.) Anyway, Fool is going about launching the service in the best way, so it's worth noting. Just might work.... * * * * * http://www.fool.com/features/2002/a020128.htm Letter to the Community By David Gardner and Tom Gardner January 28, 2002 Beginning February 14, The Motley Fool will begin charging a low annual fee to access the Fool Community's discussion boards. From now until February 13, you can become a Charter Member and get two years access for the price of one. For more than seven years, The Motley Fool has been home to the world's best financial community, bar none. Our members, and the popular press, have praised the Fool Community for having the most thoughtful, valuable, remarkable community online. We've invested in and, together created, something wonderful. Thank you for all of your contributions to the Fool Community. Everyone who signs up by midnight on February 13, 2002, will be considered a Charter Member. Over the years, we celebrated with RadioPhool as he and his wife paid off $84,000 in debt. As a community, we leveled the playing field for the individual investor when we helped pass SEC Regulation Fair Disclosure, prompting SEC Chairman Arthur Levitt to claim the resolution would not have passed without The Motley Fool Community. And, one of the things we're most proud of, we've raised more than $2 million for Foolanthropy charities. We've watched the Mechanical Investing community bloom as thousands of individual investors like MoeBruin, JackCade, and Gritton came together to try and build a better mousetrap. Industry insiders who provide tips on how they do business have saved us thousands of dollars on refinancing our homes, buying that new car, saving on our taxes, and more. RecoveringFool and her crew got us all thinking about how to Live Below Our Means, and together we've laughed over a few helpings of eMeringue. It's been a valuable and fun-filled ride so far. Today, The Motley Fool is making two announcements that will ensure the continuing success of the greatest community on the Web. (1) After February 14, access to the Fool Community's discussion boards will cost $4.95 per month, or $29.95 per year. We'll also be offering a free, read-only, 30-day trial membership to anyone who wants to take a test drive. (2) To show you our commitment to excellence, and to ensure that the Fool Community operates from Day One at a peak level of intelligent interactivity, we've awarded over 1000 complimentary memberships to community members who have distinguished themselves in the past. We'll also kick things off on February 14 with a few new enhancements that we hope you like. Special Charter Member Offer —- One Year Free! Everyone who signs up by midnight on February 13, 2002, will be considered a Charter Member. All Charter Members will receive two years of service for the price of one. For those of you who are mathematically inclined, that's just $0.04 per day, less than the price of one sip of a Starbucks latte grande. (Hmmm… maybe we need to rethink this price.) In addition, Charter Members will also be eligible for future discounts, plus any other Foolish perks we can think of to show our appreciation for our Charter Members. The Charter sign-up period is only two weeks long, so sign up now! The Fool Community isn't just disk drives and modems attached to the ether. It's real people who distinguish themselves by the clarity of their thought and the sharpness of their wit. From Intel and Berkshire Hathaway to Quitting Smoking and Retiring Early, the Fool Community isn't just disk drives and modems attached to the ether. It's real people who distinguish themselves by the clarity of their thought and the sharpness of their wit. We come here because we recognize the power of the networked world, because the many will always be stronger than the few, and because this is where our friends are. We love our community, and we hope that you do too. Become a Charter Member today! Backed by the resources of membership dues, we will be able to maintain the excellent service you're accustomed to and make more new enhancements as well. 2002 is going to be an exciting year for the Fool Community. We pledge to work closely with you to make the best community on the Web even better. Join us today, and we'll see you on the boards!

[fantasticsound]

And the only question is, who is going to start an equally informative site based on the Motley Fool, at NO charge. Where do they get these ideas, when it's been proved time and time again that as much as we spout about customer service, the majority will suffer less than exemplary service for lower prices? They'll stay in business, but someone else is going to reap the rewards of their decision to charge.