I gave $25

I just gave $25 of my personal money to this effort.

Ken and I have talked about this and I encouraged Ken to go ahead and take this step in order to take his show to the next level. MRH is doing okay financially, but Ken is an outside contractor who funds his show out of his own pocket. We pay Ken for the show at contributing editor rates, which is nothing close to what he needs to expand his show like this. MRH does not have the kind of funds Ken needs to do what he would like to do here.

If we all throw in a few bucks, Ken should easily get the funding to really make What's Neat into the most awesome presentation on the planet for the hobby. Ken has lots of aspirations on what he would like to do and that includes doing some segments that should really appeal to the next generation about the hobby.

This is totally voluntary. If you're struggling just to afford the hobby, then we're not talking to you (but we are making the show for you, since What's Neat in MRH will remain totally free - as will the magazine).

If on the other hand you are blessed financially, this is a way you can give back something to the hobby -- and Ken is someone who is highly motivated and can really do some cool media for the hobby if he's got some resources to go for it.

These funds go straight to Ken, MRH is not directly involved, but he has pledged he will use these funds to take What's Neat to the next level as a show that's part of MRH magazine each month. So we will benefit in that way.

P.S. On the MRH Youtube channel, Ken's videos hold viewership records, with the monthly WHATS NEAT shows generally pulling 25,000 to 50,000 views in the first month they're posted. The most popular video on our Youtube channel is by Ken (posted 3 years ago), with over 550,000 views!

Sound like a great idea I met

You're exactly one of the modelers this is FOR

Mckeegan, you're exactly one of the modelers this is FOR -- we're not looking for those who are financially strapped to donate -- we understand. But we want to do more to reach YOU.

You're the next generation of the hobby! Ken and I feel there's so much he could do to bring in more young modelers if he had some funding to really make some What's Neat content that appeals especially to you young guys!

To hear Ken's thoughts on the next generation of modelers, watch the latest What's Neat this week video podcast (special supplemental podcast by Ken and Chris Palomarez from Athearn). Go to about 6:30 to for the discussion on youth in the hobby:

Fantastic idea...

I'm broke at the moment, but I'll see what my finances look like next month. I LOVE What's Neat! Ot's become my favorite part of the magazine!

Ummm... I mean... after the publisher's ramblings... of course...

(Oh, who am I kidding? I sometimes skip right to What's Neat!)

Donated! I love your show! 

Donated! I love your show! 

I'm in

I look forward to Ken's video every month in MRH. It's well worth a few bucks to help expand the reach of the show.

You can also increase your support by 5% without costing you.

Since Go Fund Me deducts a 5% fee from any contributions you can support Ken directly if you want and he ends up with more money.  Just a thought.................

That was a great video, I

Podcast

Ken,

I think the podcast is a great idea. Interesting twist making it a video, perhaps it's a vidcast? Most podcasts I am aware of are audio only. The nice thing about podcasts is that you can listen to them while driving, or working on the layout, or anywhere.

I would like to offer some feedback, that could help you take it up a notch even without investment.

I would like to suggest perhaps not having the train running in the background. It's great fo visual interest, but I think clear audio is paramount to this type of endeavour, that is audio that is clean, easy to listen to, and just as importantly free of background noise.

The audio should be equal on the left and right channels, and the levels for each participant should be similar. I expect you were not intending to have the participants on separate channels, I hear this is may be a common issue for new podcasters.

For visual interest you could use really short clips of trains running by as transitions from one segment to the next, like you do with the What's neat video, but perhaps much shorter clips.

Good luck Ken! I look forward to seeing where you take us with "What's neat" in the future!

I'm off to checkout the go-fund-me page now.

Great idea

Just donated over at the go fund me site.

Good luck.

John

Running trains...

I would agree with the "not running trains in the background" bit if this was anything other than a model railroading related video.

Trains are noisy. The real, and the models. I personally laughed a bit at first (because I read this comment before watching) but then I got excited about the train running by, and how, instead of a big train, rattling the building, it was a very loud model train, that just somehow seemed appropriate. It kinda complimented things, especially when it ran by AS the guest is talking about the two of them being into model railroading their whole lives.

It's a podcast. Video podcasts tend to be a bit raw, and that's kinda what attracts the "podcast demographic" a bit. Which is a bit of the point. I showed my roommate (who is a millennial, and recently out of wargaming) and he said he couldn't imagine the train NOT being there, and that it made him even more excited about doing some detailing for me (he discovered that model railroading is cheaper than war gaming... at least it would be for him, and is excited about using my model railroading, and projects I hand him to "scratch that itch" so to speak)

"What's Neat" is well polished, as it needs to be, but the pod cast is a bit raw, which is what it needs to be. It's all weathering on a box car. Nobody really likes seeing graffiti, but, sometimes, it just looks strange in an inner city layout without it.

But that's just my small opinion.

Raw? sure.

Warflight is right, raw is ok for this venue. I just think you want to be able to hear the conversation when you're driving down the highway. I confess I'm still looking at this content as a listening exercise, and less of a viewing event.

Audio vs Video

Yeah... if it was an audio only, I would say nix on the train noise... but because it is video, it works.

Patreon

Ken, 

Have you looked at Patreon? It's a way to set up recurring, triggered payments. My wife supports several music groups through it. 

You would likely have to figure out some bonuses for higher donation levels, but if anyone has the imagination for it, it's you. 

https://www.patreon.com/

AML is an example podcast on Patreon

Lionel Strang is posting some content for AML on patreon. He still has the 2 free episodes per month, but the rest is on patreon, with different shows available based on the support level.

Check it out: https://www.patreon.com/ModelersLife

A word of caution: It would certainly be better to start on patreon than trying to migrate to it later. There was considerable backlash over the idea of paying for something that was "free" before.

Ken, you have such a large following already, I think patreon could work very well for you.

Thoughts on free ...

Ken and I discussed this and we felt it might be better to do this as a GoFundMe project since it's not taking something that was free and now making it paid. What's Neat would remain free, but this would enable Ken to keep doing it and in fact take it to the next level as to great content ideas for it.

Keep in mind Ken funds What's Neat totally out of his own pocket. Yes, MRH pays him contributing editor rates for the content, but Ken's own out-of-pocket expenses for the show already exceeds that payment by quite a bit. And if Ken was to do what he would LIKE to do with the show, the cost will go up considerably.

That's why the GoFundMe project. First, it will reimburse Ken for what he already spends on the show now, and allow him to do still more with it. Reality is without these funds, Ken will have to cut back on what he's been doing in the show because it simply costs him more than we can afford to pay him to keep doing it.

Those who are blessed financially and would like to help out, please help out. Meanwhile, the show itself, the supplementary weekly vidcast, and the MRH column article all remain free. However, costs being what they are, Ken may have to cut back on the size and scope of What's Neat without some extra funding.

I personally would hate to see What's Neat get cut back, but the ad revenue just isn't enough to keep funding this show as it is now, much less where we would like to see Ken take it.

Is GoFundMe like Kickstarter?

I'm just wondering if GoFundMe is like Kickstarter in that if Ken doesn't get $60K, he doesn't get anything?  Or for GoFundMe, the funds are deducted immediately and Ken gets it, even if he only gets $50K, say.  I'll certainly contribute, I'm just curious.  

GoFundMe

GoFundMe is different, which is why we're using it. Everything you contribute goes to help Ken out with What's Neat (-5% to GoFundMe) even if we don't reach the 60K. That's why we picked GoFundMe over KickStarter. 

Kickstarter is more for big-time investor-type projects, while GoFundMe is more for home-grown projects where folks are needing some financial assistance to make it happen. GoFundMe passes on all the funds collected, even if you don't reach your goal.

Source types and thoughts..

Yes, GoFundMe pays them regardless. My payment has cleared the bank already.

As for free vs paid content...good content isn't cheap to generate. While I enjoy the free nature of Ken's work I am not at all opposed to paying for it. Maybe some free work each month and then some paid subscription stuff? Any thoughts on what price point would make that viable for him?

What's Neat

Like a train museum or tourist line- Contribute to make sure it's there next time.

Update from Ken ...

Ken just now posted on the GoFundMe page as the fund has passed $1100 ...

Ken is treating this very professionally, thinking of it as a sacred trust to those of you who have donated. He is making sure the funds go to pay for the show, just as he promised. You're a man of integrity, Ken.

This...

This right here, is why we love Ken! (that, and his awesome show... I mean, come on... his show is WAY awesome!)

@Joe Fugate

Joe, The one thing I heard in the conversation that caught my attention. Some Manufactures are not aware of now many youth are in the hobby? I have a suggestion, on the forum, how about displaying the persons screen name and age? Then when manufactures read though the different posts here, they will get some feed back on just how many young folks are involved in the hobby. As Ken mentioned and from my own personal experience, if you're a young person in the hobby, chances are slim you'll be attending a train show, unless you have a parent or other family member who is also interested in model railroading.

Focus

 I think the show could better serve newcomers if it was less product focused and more basic skills oriented. I'd hate for newcomers to get the idea that "whats neat" is spending money on more or better stuff when lots of modeling can be done for a modest cost. Ken also usually has tools and resources for the projects that an average new modeler doesn't have so I'm not sure they understand that all that stuff is not necessary, that they don't need a fancy long sanding tool but can just wrap sandpaper around a scrap of wood? Modeling is a lifelong journey so the newcomers need to understand that they don't have to spend a lot right now but can build up their rolling stock and their tool inventory over decades. ......DaveB