XPmediacentre.com.au founder speaks on ReelTime deal

Adam Turner
Friday, 28 September 2007 18:46

Your IT - Entertainment

Hancock founded XPmediacentre.com.au site three years ago and the site has survived on forum member donations to cover hosting costs - with Hancock only breaking even for the first time this year. Hancock managed to make the annual hosting renewal payment at the end of August, with the financial details published on the site, but growing work commitments and financial pressure forced him to consider alternative options.

"I'm burning out, I've been running a full time job plus this web site, plus I'm a single father. I opted to go for the ReelTime deal rather than see XPmediacentre slowly die," he says.

"I will stay on. I will steer the site but I don't want to be responsible for the backend."

Responding to the concerns of forum members, Hancock is prepared to refund hosting donations made since September 1 to those unhappy with the ReelTime deal.

"Even so, how many of those people, if they'd had been in my position would have said no?" asks Hancock.

"We've all contributed at different levels. Some people might want their subscription back, well that's fine. They've contributed may $30, $50 or maybe $100. But where were they at four in the morning doing software upgrades? How many of these people have contributed 40 hours a week of their time for the last three years? If you amortise that out across three years, I haven't been particularly well paid for my time."

Hancock has now posted a full message to forum members on the site, explaining his situation, and says he hopes forum members will not turn their backs on the site.

"The people they're offering help to on the forums are not ReelTime, it's the same people that came asking for help last week. The fact that ReelTime has taken the opportunity to communicate with those people as they wander through the site is the only thing that's changed."

"The community is self-governing and the can vote with their feet like any other democratic institution. If the community decides to move away, then ReelTime have bought nothing. ReelTime are not stupid, they know that. There is no value to this acquisition for them if they upset the community by interfering. John Karantzis, the managing director, knows they could have handled it better today."