Okay. Let me start by stating the obvious: I really hate that I have to do this. I.E. Pass the hat.
By that I mean: I’d really much rather be researching a brand new story for the site right about now. But — unfortunately — some financial considerations have recently come up. Which is why I’ve been forced to turn to you folks — the good and kind readers of JimHillMedia.com — and ask for your assistance.
“So what’s the problem this time?” you ask. Well, for starters, I need your help in buying this website.
“What’s that you say, Jim?” you query. “You don’t actually own JimHillMedia.com?” Yes, strange as that may seem, it’s true. I am a part-owner of JHM. I have only a 33% share of this website. The other 66% percent actually is owned by my ex-wife, Michelle Smith. AKA the Fabulous Disney Babe.
Well, two months ago, Michelle announced that she’d like me to buy out her stake in the site. It seems my ex and my daughter will be moving to Hawaii sometime later this year. And she needs several thousand dollars ASAP to help cover the cost of shipping their entire household from Poway, CA. to Honolulu, HI.
Well, while JimHillMedia.com is inching ever closer to eventually becoming a money-making proposition (just last week, on the heels of my Wall Street Journal article as well as my appearances on CNN and MSNBC, I had two companies come forward to inquire about possibly sponsoring this website), we’re still not there yet. And the several thousand dollars that Michelle is currently looking for is several thousand dollars more than I actually have to spare.
Then there’s the site’s technological problems. As in: most of these columns that you folks seem to enjoy reading are actually pounded out on a Compaq Armada 7800. A computer that’s so old, so slow and so out of date that it’s actually steam driven. The only printer that’s compatible with this particaulr laptop is one that was constructed by Johann Gutenberg. We’re talking ancient technology here, people.
If I could just get 100% control of JimHillMedia.com as well as some up-to-date equipment to work with … you’d see some pretty amazing changes here, folks. I’m talking new stories and columns up on this site seven days a week. Cartoons. Photos. Graphics. Stuff that I’m sure that you’d all really enjoy seeing.
But the only way that this is ever going to happen is with your financial help.
Which is why — after talking with some pals about my predicament — I decided to borrow a page from NPR and hold the first-ever JimHillMedia.com pledge drive.
Here’s the way (hopefully) this is all going to work. If you agree to donate $10 or more toward the operation of the site, we’ll then list your name on the soon-to-be-launched JHM contributors page. Where it will say something like “JimHillMedia.com only exists today thanks to the generosity of nice people like (INSERT YOUR NAME HERE).”
To make sure that the wider web community is also made aware of your generous gesture, a much smaller version of this list will be posted daily on JimHillMedia.com’s home page. Every day, five new names will be highlighted as “… the kind folks who help to keep JHM up and running.” So that everyone who contributes to this pledge drive can have their moment in the spotlight.
Of course, if you’d like to contribute more than $10 … well, that’d be great too. And the bigger your donation is, the more impressive your JHM premium will eventually be. I’m talking your very own personalized copies of my soon-to-be-published Disneyland history book, or a specially tailored tour of the Disneyland and/or Walt Disney World theme parks for your family and friends. Or — if you’d prefer — a private sit-down dinner with yours truly … where I’d be happy to spill any number of the behind-the-scenes stories about the Walt Disney Company. Including my recent dealings with Roy Disney and the “Save Disney” organization.
Mind you, just like those NPR pledge drives, this somewhat obnoxious event is only going to run for a limited time. Now through Friday, March 12th. And once we achieve our goal (which is enough to buy out my ex-wife as well as acquire a new laptop), this pledge will immediately stop.
So — once again — I apologize for having to do this, folks. Believe you me, I’d really prefer to just be writing another new story for JHM right about now. But — things being the way they are — I really have no choice but to pass the cup.
So please — if you can — kick in a few bucks. And then (hopefully, someday very soon) you’ll see a brand new shiny version of JimHillMedia.com make its debut.
It’s up to you now, folks. You know you like what you read here. All the entertainment and information that JHM regularly provides you with for free. All I’m asking is — this one time — that you pay for what pleases you.
As for donations, you can toss them in JimHillMedia.com’s Amazon Honor Box. Or — if you’d prefer — you can just PayPal a payment directly to me by sending your donation along to my stadlerhill@mindspring.com address.
As soon as we reach our goal … I promise. We’ll immediately pull the plug on this week’s pledge drive and just get back to business as usual here at JHM.
So it’s up to you now, folks. Thanks in advance for your kindness, consideration and — most importantly — your generosity.
We’ll talk again tomorrow, okay?
jrh