Hi & thanks for stopping by to read for a minute!  I'll use this soapbox page to let you know how things are going with Music Sojourn, changes and improvements that we are making to the site, and other things that might impact what we do to bring you the music on Music Sojourn.

Topics:  (see bottom of page for archive links)

1. More Net Radio Sites to bite the dust?
2. We are doing ok, thanks to YOU!
3. New Membership Benefits
4. Join our email list(s) for a chance each month to WIN a $25.00 credit toward your membership level!
5. We can now accept your contributions by Credit Card (directly)
6. Click here for our Special Page where we post September 11th Memorial and Tribute programs
7. ECHOES Series update - click here for latest news

1. More Net Radio Sites to bite the dust?  THIS Internet station got to the top by playing "Stairway to Heaven" and other chart toppers, but things don't look so good now (see article by clicking here). Remember the phrase from a few years ago "they don't Get It!"?  It turns out that it really applied to most of those who were saying it.  I don't have anything against "Stairway to Heaven" (I just don't want to hear it again for another 10 years) but why would I pay to hear (or play) "Stairway to Heaven" on the internet when my local 'classic rock' station probably plays it twice a day?  We will probably never see a place in the ratings charts, but we really appreciate our listeners and Members, and are happy to still be here to serve you! 

 Here's another related story from the L.A. Times: "Web Radio Not Making Waves" 

2. THANK YOU! for your response to my posting for your financial help (click here to read it if you missed it).  We have added many new Members and I will eventually respond to all with Membership information.  I do all of the contact work, so please be patient.  If you have contributed to reach a membership level of 90 or over, I will send you your Login/password for the streams as soon as our helping merchant can process your credit card payment, or as soon as we can process your check.  Again, thank you! and it looks like we will be in good shape for the first part of next year!  And we will have a 45 level stream for more Echoes from the archives available shortly, as soon as I finish up with the new Holiday offerings.

3. Membership Benefits

Thank you for your direct support!  We have developed a Membership program to provide extra services and, eventually, premiums for those who support us at very generous levels.  Members at higher levels can now take advantage of near CD-Quality and FM-Quality streams, starting with the Ambient Caverns and Echoes series.  Click here for more details on the new Members Streams.

There are over 10 hours of Ambient Caverns and over 20 hours of Echoes available in FM & near-CD Quality streams.  Please see the Members FAQ for more details by clicking here.  We will change the programs available in the Member Streams periodically by changing the playlist.  You can always see which programs are playing, and access the web page for the program, from the links displayed in the Real Player window as the program plays.  To see the Ambient & New Age Member's Streams Page, click here.

Please take a look at our new Membership Resources Index for more information about Membership.  While we will soon have "Premiums" to encourage your continued support, we have defined "Membership" as something more than just another gimmick term to get you to contribute periodically.  Read more about this idea here.

We are developing a list of premiums, and anyone who has contributed at Member levels that the premiums are offered at will be able to claim them.

Everyone who supports us at any level really wins because it keeps the programming available, and there are presently no restrictions on any program content - and we hope to keep it that way. 

4. Join our email list(s) for a chance each month to WIN a $25.00 credit toward your membership level!  Anyone who has been on our lists for longer than 60 days is eligible to win.  See the link above for details.  First drawing is in early December.

5. A: We don't - YOU do via your DIRECT SUPPORT!  NEW: Through the helping hand of a local (to us) merchant, we can now take contributions by credit card - Click here for more info.  Basically, we run this site with the revenue available from Direct Contributions (THE Primary source of funding), Advertising Revenue (very little), and the small percentage (5% - 6%) that we get from your CD Purchases through Amazon & CDnow.  There are no private funders, loans, or generous benefactors.  If we don't get the funds to pay the bills from the above sources, we'll have to stop.

If you have not considered a direct contribution to Music Sojourn, we would encourage you to do so, even at a level as low as $5.00!  If everyone who uses Music Sojourn regularly contributed only $5.00 every once in a while, we could expand what we do here significantly.  If you're a regular listener and there's a specific reason why you would not contribute to our efforts, Let me know.

SPECIAL THANKS to those of you who have contributed directly by check or money order!  We realize that it is not as convenient, but it provides us with an extra 6 - 16% that we would lose to the 3rd party (Amazon, PayPal) credit card processing costs!  For more information, click here.

Scott Ericson