The Day the Magic died... well almost...

[Magic Newswire]

... and only for me.

You may have noticed that I haven't posted a podcast in some time. I almost made the decision to kill the MagicNewswire website and the podcast out of frustration over several conversations here that had occurred in the past. I asked myself why I was doing this for free when I have to deal with such nonsense.

Instead of killing it, I took a break to ruminate. <--- $5 word ;-)

So... to clear up any misunderstandings... here's what the MagicNewswire is and why I do it. Yes... by taking a break, I remembered why I do it.

The Magic Newswire began in 1994. I was the founding partner in one of Atlanta's first ISP's focused on businesses. As the Director of Business Development, I needed to learn HTML so that I could help sell customers on the long term potential of the internet and the web.

At that time The Linking Page was simply an evolving collection of links to magic related material online. There wasn't much when it started but it grew faster than I ever imagined. After the site was written up in The Net Magazine's top 100 sites issue in 1996, I registered the domain LinkingPage.com and spent a bit more time keeping it current... all with no ads and at no cost to the viewer. I have loved magic since I first discovered it when I was 10 and thought of this as my way to give back a bit.

In 1993, my son was diagnosed with autism. Long story short, insurance doesn't over the therapies and specialized schooling that he needed. I had had some requests for advertising on the site. I had always declined. I asked myself why at this point, accepted a few ads and used that to offset the cost of Jordan's therapy. It was always a very small amount and had very little impact upon our finances and the site has never been seen as a way to make money.

In 2005, I discovered podcasting and posted a few experimental episodes, but the associated costs were so high at that time that I set it aside. In 2008, I revisited the idea and launched the podcast in the form that it has today.

I have accepted a few ads here and there, but have turned down far more than you've heard on the show. I have never charged what I should given the number of downloads that the show gets. In fact, most of the ads have been favors for friends and I have typically received more support via donations than in ad revenue.

I maintain the site and spend hours on the podcast as a way to give back to magic, not because I see it as a profit making venture. My frustration came to a head after continued accusations that I was driving traffic to the site for hits and ad revenue. If that is all that people think of me and what I do, why was I wasting my time and energy when I have so little of that to share with my son and family after a 70 hour work week in my real job?

It took a bit of time for me to remember why. Because I still love magic. I don't like a lot of what I see the community doing to itself, but I still find more to love that I do to hate. When I see that in spite of not having posted a new podcast in over a month there have been 51000 downloads of past episodes with a total of 1.9 million downloads of the 331 episodes that have been published to date, I realize that I am doing something that people like and THAT is very rewarding.

So... as I step off of my soapbox, know that a new episode of the podcast will be published in the next few days on the topic of Charlie Miller and another will follow soon with Gazzo talking about "The Phantom of the Card Table."

More will follow with support from listeners that want to help by making a donation, ads for people that I want to help and a few from customers that have a product that is a good fit with the show and find value in an ad on the site. I

I'll do it because I enjoy it and hope that you do too.

cheers,
Dodd

[mrgoat]

I'd never let one individual trolling me make me stop doing what I loved.

I've missed the podcasts and look forward to hearing the new ones, the gazzo one sounds excellent.

Fcuk the haters.

[Ian Kendall]

I'm looking forward to the Gazzo one. I had some great discussions with him about Scott, Cracker Parker and the real identity of Erdnase on the bus trips to and from the track last week.

What Damian said.

[Joe Pecore]

Can't wait for new podcasts!!

[Edward Pungot]

Love is the only commodity that has any qualitative value these days.

Good to see you back on here.

Looking forward to the Charlie Miller podcast.

ep

[Don Hendrix]

Dodd, you perform a great service to the magic community, one that is appreciated more than you know. Your conservation with Jonathan Pendragon revealed him to be such a fascinating person that it made me jump at the chance to spend a day at his home with Tom Stone, which was even better than I anticipated. Please keep doing what you do better than anyone that I know.

[IrishMagicNews]

Ah ... so good to have you back. As I said to you privately I, and I think we, really missed you around.

Looking forward to chatting a bit.

B

[John McDonald]

Dodd, great to hear you back and I hope you had a good rest.
I listen to your podcasts daily and boy I have missed them. I have checked daily for new ones. I have listened to my favourites ones more than a couple of times (understatement)
I am so so glad to have you back!

[erdnasephile]

Dodd:

Don't let the naysayers get you down.

The number of us who appreciate what you do greatly outweighs the small number of your detractors.

Keep on keepin' on!

[mrgoat]

Dodd:

Don't let the naysayers get you down.

The number of us who appreciate what you do greatly outweighs the small number of your detractors.

Keep on keepin' on!

Naysayers? It was only one naysayer wasn't it?

[Magic Newswire]

Thanks guys. This was more of a public apology for being an idiot than anything else. I'm not going anywhere and am sorry that I considered it.

[Donal Chayce]

Dodd, you can add my voice to the multitude of those who both appreciate all you've done for magic vis-a-vis The Magic Newswire, and who are grateful that you're back.

Illegitimi non carborundum.

[Magic Newswire]

Hey Brendan .. Reach out to me when you have some time.. You have my Skype etc...

[Henley]

I just thought you were busy with the movie stuff. Glad you're back!

[Magic Newswire]

Thanks! The movie stuff is keeping me incredibly busy, but I'll always find time for magic.

[Magic Newswire]

BTW... I appreciate the emails that I have received asking to advertise on the podcast. At this time, there are no paying advertisers and I am not considering any new contacts.

[Loopback]

Dodd

I love your podcast and am glad to hear both you and the podcast are back.

[Steve Hook]

Dodd:

To paraphrase a couple of guys, "Don't let the know-it-all get you down."

I'd checked out a few of your news items over time but it was Tom Mullica's inside-story interview that really caught my attention. I've paid closer attention to the MN content ever since.

Keep up the good work on the site, with the family, and at the real job(s)!

Regards,

Steve H

[JohnCox]

Magic Newswire and your podcast is sensational! You do a service to the magic community. Don't let the jerks get to you.