B2Radio

[Cmdr Nova]

Okay. Here's the smack if you haven't gotten it yet. The coolest online radio show, this side of the internet, The Basement, is in a downswing, and is currently broadcasting what could quite possibly it's last airing. You CANNOT miss this.

If you don't know what it is, then at least head to the B2 site. Oh yeah, and Orion Fleet's own FC Blades is the headmaster of the gig. Enjoy. (Be advised, this is a somewhat adult show. Somewhat. )

Listen to this if you know what's good for you. Even if it's just for this once. Just consider it a favor to listen.

See the B2:Radio site (newly revised) NOW!

2 E-Mails from Blades and the B2Crew are below.

quote:

---

Greetings chaps.

I know things have been quiet as of late, and I for one havent been around as much recently as I would have liked to be. This is mostly due to excessive work at the moment and my fight to preserve my other great online love - B2 RADIO. Some of you already know that we're in trouble, and are facing imminent closure unless we can gain support in our 11th hour. Im asking that you take some time out from your day tomorrow (tuesday 26th) to listen into

www.b2radio.co.uk

for what may well be the final time in an effort to raise awareness and stave off the executioner.

I know that most of you have little or no interest in this project, but those that do - please - do me a personal favor and listen in from 8.30 (gmt) and give your support. Im not asking for anything more than that, and this small contribution could make all the difference to me and my station.

Like Im fond of saying, this isnt an order, but a request. I ask you as friends to help me out and I hope you will be able to do so. Details follow.

Regards,

FC Karl "Blades" Savage

Orion Fleet Commander

------------------------------------

That is the question on many peoples lips. Well, from tuesday evening 9pm + (GMT) you'll all find out ..... providing you listen into what may be our final presentation of The Basement on B2 RADIO.

If you've been keeping up with current events on the forum, you'll be aware that there has been a lot of discussion lately as to the future of this program and the producers who present it. Due to an alarmingly hectic work life, lack of time to prepare and organise, it is very possible that The Basement will cease broadcasts for the last time after tomorrow evenings show. Now, the main reasons have been mentioned above, but the single biggest reason for stopping production is due to listener figures. In our first season, we pulled in an audience that was upwards of 20 concurrent listeners during each and every show. Promotion wise, we did fairly well. Our equipment may have been shit, our sound quality appaling, and our broadcast skills little better than those of a four year old, but we did quite well. Reason being we promoted ourselves in an area where listener interest was pretty high, and we capitalized upon it.

After the break from our first season, we lots out ability to readily promote ourselves in the previous arena. Even though our equipment was improved upon, and our broadcast skills improved in leaps and bounds, we could never quite recapture the same level of enthusiasm as we had done in our first season. Despite the fact that we enjoyed doing it, it was becoming apparant that without vast improvements in our listener ratings, it wasnt worth the time and energy involved to continue broadcasts - especially considering the hectic work schedules we both have and the even increasing need to better prepare and produce our programs.

We broke for what we initially thought was going to be a month in the begining of January so we could rest and recouperate and work on new material and production improvements for the new and improved third season. Despite the good intentions and hard work put in, arguments between both the shows producers as to the format to adopt, as well as what expenses to pour into the project began to turn things sour at B2.

The end result is this :-

It's too much to do with so little actual reward. Now, it's not that we dont appreciate the listeners that we have who usually stick with us during our productions, it's just that without growth things stagnate. All through our second season we stagnated. Although we're not going to give exact details of our usual listener figures for that period, it's enough to say that they were poor when compared to our first season, and quite frankly we deserve better considering the work and expense put into it.

The fault, of course, isnt with our dear listeners, it's with ourselves. We didnt invest enough time in promotion, or prolonged development of concepts. In some cases, a lot of our material was regurgitated discussions that we've had before, just perhaps garnished up a little and re-presented to our small, but loyal following. The introduction of the B2 phone line had potential, but with the exception of a few kindly callers, never really took off. Neither did a few of our other grand ideas that came and went by the wayside during our second season run.

Our plans and efforts for season three are sound ideas. They have a lot of potential and promise to be rewarding to produce and broadcast to the world at large - but without the support of our existing listeners and those who have jumped on board with us very recently we cannot be forfilled, and if that's the case, we cannot continue.

Let me level with you. I DONT want to quit doing shows, but this isnt all my descision. I cant produce or host The Basement by myself, nor would I want to. I could draft in a new blood - but this project began as the work of three best friends - whittled down to two after our first season and now it threatens to be one. I for one wont do this alone (Nor could I) and would not want to bring in a stranger to the scene to get by. I cant/wont do this without my best friend at my side. Simple as that.

For the majority of the time, we have both loved presenting The Basement - and I for one have a lot of very fond memories about the shows we have presented, the friends we have made, the people we've made laugh and the people we've made gag. I would love to do this and get paid for it, but thats a pipe dream that is unrealistic to persue.

Anyway, onto more current news ...

In the last few weeks, B2 RADIO has been heavily promoted. The station itself (If not THE BASEMENT) has attracted interest from around the globe. Our TLH (Total listener hours) for the month has jumped from pretty poor to pretty good - all in the space if a few short weeks. Now, this may not sound like too much to you, but to me it's a fairly impressive leap from where we were. I can check the listener stats pretty much any time day or night and find people listening in - and thats not to our shows but to the 24/7 automation. Potentially that represents hundreds of people who would listen to broadcasts of THE BASEMENT during it's normal run. Again, that may not sound too impressive, but it is when you consider just how many internet radio stations there are in the world. Add to the fact that it's a 24/7 LIVE broadcast and not just the same mp3's repeated endlessly on a stupid server machine, and you get an idea as to why Im excited about this recent upsurge.

If we can capitalise on the new listener figures and continue to raise awareness to a fairly unique broadcast concept, we can make massive gains in the future ..... but we're not going to be able to do this if THE BASEMENT dies after tuesdays show.

Bottom Line :

If we are to continue, we need listener support. I've spoken to a lot of you over the last few days about this issue, and most of you have pledged to be around during tueday evenings broadcast to listen in and give your support. In advance, we thank you for your interest and participation and hope that with the efforts of the others on this mailing list, on the L365 community forums and chat rooms we can survive, improve and continue to be a source of fun for you. End of the day, thats what we're here to do - to provide you with hours of free entertainment and enjoy ourselves in the process. Currently we cant do both at the same time. With more support from our listener base we can. If we cant have both, we'll have none at all.

And then that would be it. The end.

I really dont want that to happen. I hope you lot feel the same.

So, for one last time, please support us in our 11th hour. This time you reall can make a difference, and your participation on the show tomorrow will be the most important and valued it has ever been.

Thanks again, and however this all turns out, I'd like to say that you guys have been great. We've enjoyed offending and ammuseing you.

We hope we can continue to do it in the future.

Take care, and see you tuesday night, 9pm +

B2 RADIO CREW

---

quote:

---

This is just a quick follow up email. We're currently 60 minutes from what could be our final show. As detailed in the previous mail, this is our last chance. Tonight you can make a difference. New friends and old alike are invited for a frank online discussion regarding the future of B2 as well as the usual sort of smuttiness and insanity those old folk amongst you can recall from years past.

And if you're feeling really helpful, why not pass the word along to your least favorite people and have them tune in? Give us a heads up first, and we'll rip 'em a new ******* live on air! How generous are we?

Anyway, you know the time (8.30pm - midnight) and the place (

http://www.b2radio.co.uk

) so I shant bothering telling you.

Seeya soon kids ... if we goin out, we doin it in style ....

B2 RADIO Crew

---

Oh, and like he said: try to get most of the people you know to listen. (In appropriate cases. I quote the b2 site saying, "Whatever you do, don't let grandma listen .." )

Go get some folks to listen, and give Blades the heads-up. I wanna enjoy this.

[Cmdr Nova]

Oh, and see here for the official discussion on this.

[ 02-26-2002, 16:19: Message edited by: Cmdr Nova ]