Originally Posted by Brian Austin Whitney
For someone not on their direct payroll, you're acting like it. That's fine. You're a big fan of theirs.

I'm doing my best to remain objective. From reading your last JPF newsletter, it's clear that you were against Jango before you ever heard of it. You describe pay-to-play as some vast monolithic corporate evil, when Jango seems to be a few guys running an internet radio site.

Originally Posted by Brian Austin Whitney
The fact that you've written articles elsewhere certainly has confused things. All I can do is base my responses to you based on your direct responses to me.

My first post in the thread was a link to my first article. You decided not to read it, and attacked Jango without knowing anything except that it was pay-to-play. Everything else I've referred to is here in the thread.

Originally Posted by Brian Austin Whitney
If you had already given info that you felt answered those 4 questions previously, why didn't you say that instead of saying you'd come back and answer them? See the problem?

Since you refused to go off-site and read my first article, I figured you'd refuse to read the follow-up too. I didn't realize you'd allow me to post it here.

Originally Posted by Brian Austin Whitney
The answer is STILL no correct? YOu even add to that and say their communications tools are useless. That's far more pessimistic than anything I have said right? So who's the pessimist?

I'm doing my best to remain objective. I'm confused... am I acting like I'm on their payroll, or being a pessimist? wink

Originally Posted by Brian Austin Whitney
But for the real world purposes of an artist wanting to know where their fans are so they can visit their town and invite them to a show, they still don't know who those people are or how to contact them correct?

The data isn't aggregated in any useful way, but let's say I was playing a show in Texas. Here's what I'd do:

1. Go to my profile page: http://www.jango.com/music/Color+Theory
2. Search for "TX" and highlight all
3. Scroll down the list of "fans" and "people who like"
4. Click on the names with highlights to open their profiles
5. Click the envelope to "email" them (probably through the Jango interface, not a real email)

I see 16 or so people from Texas on my profile, so that wouldn't take long to do! You could also send a bulletin with your show dates, but I doubt many would see it.

Originally Posted by Brian Austin Whitney
It's dishonest to suggest that any other purchases are from Jango.

It's dishonest to suggest that they aren't! That's my point. We just don't know.

Originally Posted by Brian Austin Whitney
It's more likely they randomly found you somewhere else and bought it in truth.

How did you determine that?

Originally Posted by Brian Austin Whitney
That's roughly $66.00 per response. Not so good.

I paid for plays, not messages. If I were paying for comments on my profile, the math would be much more favorable. I'll say it again - their communication system is ineffective. It's clear that my messages aren't being read. You, on the other hand, can track whether your e-mails were received and opened. Apples and oranges.

Originally Posted by Brian Austin Whitney
If I had REAL names and contacts of people who supposedly volunteered to be on my list by clicking something, I'd feel a little better about it all.

I've got hundreds of comments on my profile. Are you suggesting that Jango representatives are creating fake profiles and adding the comments themselves? I'm not sure what you're getting at.

Originally Posted by Brian Austin Whitney
I will say this, you're a relentless propaganda cheerleader for these guys.

There's that ad hominem territory I was hoping to avoid. I have a lot of respect for you, built up over years of reading your e-mails, ever since we met at a Taxi Road Rally when JPF was just getting started - so I'm not going to reciprocate.

Originally Posted by Brian Austin Whitney
But in the end, if you are paying money upfront, you need to see a clear cut return on your investment like any other investor. That means specific sales that are traceable, specific fans identified by name and with their contact info included (like CD Baby gives out so why can't Jango?) and it should be profitable, not a loss.

Can you suggest some promotion techniques that guarantee a profit? Let's value my time at $5 per hour. What can I do to promote my music that will earn me back more than my cash outlay plus $5 per hour of my time?

Originally Posted by Brian Austin Whitney
People have very short attention spans. On internet radio when you're paying for airplay, if that person doesn't take action right then and buy your music, it's a loss. Because unless you pay AGAIN... they won't hear you again and people don't have that large of an attention span. And if your music is so amazing that they WILL remember, then it's even MORE of a crime to make you pay for airplay.

Actually, that could be seen as one of the virtues of Jango. Maybe some people need to hear the song 5-10 times before making a purchase. That could potentially happen in the course of a 5,000 play campaign.

Brian, in all seriousness, thanks for keeping me company on a Saturday night. I enjoy the discussion, but we really should get out more!

Brian.

COLOR THEORY
electronic indie piano pop

http://www.colortheory.com
http://www.passivepromotion.com