I essentially wrote this same column about a year ago at this time. We had 1700 readers then and we are now closing in on 14,000 now so that means a whole lot of people may not be aware of who we are or what we do.
So let me remind you.
I spent almost 27-years in the newspaper/television/radio business. At each step of the way, I have been a writer. If it wasn't articles it was commercials or promos.
From the early newspaper days when I was winning Arkansas Press Association awards through the latter days of pissing off skunks and crooks to the point of being railroaded and even arrested and sued because of, well...skunks and crooks, I have been the same guy.
The bottom line? I was basically an "account executive" during my television and radio time as well as working in promotions. And while I was good at it, (and made good money at it) I abhorred it.
Because there is a culture of deceit, back-stabbing and ego-driven self-importance in the so-called broadcast media that people outside of that realm never see and do not experience. And while there are good people in both mediums, you're worth to them is all measured in how many nickels you can turn into dimes while giving up your freedom of speech and self-dignity.
Plus. I am of the firm belief if the product is good enough you shouldn't have to sell it. It should sell itself.
So I was pretty much done with that self-imposed hell at the end of 2016 and went into the internet marketing business. Working for a guy I liked and trusted. Who played me like a fiddle and left me on the verge of being homeless...while I was working from a hospital bed after a quadruple bypass and valve replacement and he was living the life of Riley from my efforts.
So I said "to hell with it", bought me a domain name, learned how to "post stuff" and have never looked back. So here we are. Fifteen months later, working 16-18 hours a day and making just enough to pay the bills.
And I love it. I would love it more if we were able to generate a little more advertising revenue, but most people who have started one of these deals from scratch has either folded up after eighteen months or never really been able to monetize their efforts.
And I'm going up against "establish media" some of which has been around for decades, and I'm holding my own.
There are people who don't like me and my methods, my conservative views, that I put them in "Mugshots" or that (and this is a big one) I can't be bought.
I'm not concerned with or do I follow any of the local "blogs". They have one-tenth of my readership and for the most part are a circle jerk of dullards and power-tripping "admins" that want to swap spit and tell each other how witty they are.
I have been accused of "censorship" because we do not allow members to post pictures, cuss like sailors or continue to tell us we have no right to do or think something because it offends their delicate snowflake existence.
The first two are a no-no because I have advertisers to answer to and if we let everyone cuss and post memes and pictures it would become a free-for-all. The third is simple...you have a right to disagree with what we do or say. You just don't have a right to do it on this page and become obtuse about it unless we say so.
As I have said before....Facebook pages are free and plentiful. If you don't like this one you can start one of your own or find one you like.
Your call.
I have missed out on some advertisers because their promises of support came with a caveat, I turned down political advertising from candidates I had opposing views to and I refused to sell Today in Fort Smith for (literally) five times what it was worth at the time because I just don't care.
I don't care if you like me. I don't care if you agree with me. At sixty-one with a bad heart and other physical ailments, "getting rich" is no longer a goal.
I'm just going to do me the way I see fit. And that comes with doses of the truth that may be hard for some folks to swallow and digest.
If you commit a crime, I'm going to write about it. If you get arrested, I'm going to publish your mugshot. If you sell drugs, abuse your spouse or neglect your kids, drive while drinking, kill someone or rob people, stores or banks I'm going to proudly tag your story "Scumbag News" upon publication and sleep like a baby the four hours a night I actually sleep.
Your subscription here is free. While I appreciate our loyal readers, I will not and do not pander to anyone and if you don't like that, then be mindful of the door and the position of your hind end on the way out.
So there you have it. I don't know how long I have left but I'm going to continue to fight what I perceive to be the good fight as long as I can.
You're welcome.
And that's all I have to say about that....
