In a previous blog post, we outlined a series of changes that are in the works or recently completed in our organization. These include the addition of Richard as co-owner and meteorologist at Cirrus Weather Solutions, introducing new live streaming coverage via YouTube during inclement weather, and updates to the MWN and StormWatch+ apps.
All of these changes - from new offerings to rebuilt apps and beyond - do not come without a cost. Operating MWN and StormWatch+ fulfills a passion Richard and I have to serve you and keep you safe, but also requires a great deal of commitment - of both time and financial resources - and it often interrupts daily life. (Our wives aren't exactly keen on us pulling from the household budget, while also breaking away from a family meal to "answer the weather bell"!) Our monthly expenses must continue to be maintained. Servers in the cloud that won't crash while pushing thousands of severe weather notifications aren't inexpensive. Neither is maintaining current versions of the tools we use to provide you the best possible forecasts and the most accurate severe weather updates. We also have plans for additional expansion that require a certain level of investment.
That said, we have a couple of guiding principles that we refuse to violate:
1. We will NOT interrupt your access to potentially life-saving information with a paid advertisement.
2. We will NEVER sell your personal information in the name of profit (or even just to pay the bills).
We are greatly appreciative of the amazing support you have offered over the years. It keeps us going when storms are bubbling at 2am and waking you up! But with only a couple of exceptions, nearly everything we have offered to this point has been without charge and without asking for anything in return, other than a referral to your friends and family. To be perfectly honest, we have stretched the dollars we receive, primarily through app purchases, a long way!
So to that end, we are using this #901Day - a day in which "all things local" takes center stage - to announce the launch of our Patreon page. If you are not familiar with Patreon, it is a way to recognize the efforts of content creators of all types with small monthly donations. Think of it as a tip jar for great service. We're not looking to fund an MWN Owner's Cruise, nor are we going to take home a giant profit! We simply want to be able to continue to offer the reliable, trusted weather information you have come to appreciate, and also expand to a larger audience - with more tools at our disposal - to make the service even better. And we ask for your support in making this happen.
It's very easy to participate and we are intentionally making it very inexpensive as well. We will be able to recognize our donors in various ways (for those that choose), plus offer some perks for those who go a little above and beyond. All three "tiers" of support are less than you would spend for a single fast casual meal for one person! The point is, when many people band together to make seemingly insignificant contributions, great things can happen. We look forward to doing just that - using any donations you are kind enough to contribute to expand our offerings and to keep even more people safe and informed.
We are humbled by your ongoing support, and sincerely appreciative of your consideration in this new way!
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By the way, we've recorded a video message that provides a little more detail on our history, and our future, and explains why each small commitment is important to the overall mission. We'd love for you to check it out here.
Gratefully,
Erik Proseus & Richard Hoseney
MWN Meteorologists----
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Complete MWN Forecast: MemphisWeather.net on the mobile web or via the MWN mobile app
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| MWN is a NOAA Weather Ready Nation Ambassador | Meteorologist Erik Proseus is an NWA Digital Seal Holder |
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