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Top-level
Even though some people might say that RFF is just a radio station, so much more went into our operation than simply running some media streams. I've worked hard for RFF to be relentlessly pro-artist and positive, when offering artist support of all kinds and when framing critical analysis on struggles and dramas we as independent artsts were facing. The sad fact of the matter is that RFF cannot sustainably stay in operation despite having put out calls for help throughout 2024. 2/ 20 comments
This isn't just about finances. The community were fast to answer the call for annual infra drives so that at least was never a burden on the human. I never wanted to ask, find, take staff funding on principle and was able to wear full-time volunteerism beyond what my health could afford. Sadly that debt has very much come due. The project was always too big for a lone hamster, and informed friends and colleagues who respect my privacy will understand: we've overshot any handover options. 4/ Assuming I or you will cancel any existing recurring infrastructure donations, we should still be covered for the transmitter over the sunset period. For those that have specifically supported me if you might delay cancelling to help through this end period, awesome, but no matter what thank you deeply for trying to include the human backstage in the equation of community service. 5/ Since inception, RFF has spoken in a resoundingly positive voice. It is something many of us need to hear and feel, yet often hard to sustain against web and life factors. It's one of most difficult and exhausting roles I've ever endured. I hope you might help carry the reigns of music and art chief positivity officer(s) in the feed at least around celebrating independent art. I will need to be less available for this during sunset. This wasn't tech, this wasn't a platform, it was people. 6/ I implore you to take what you hopefully have experienced from this project or the community that rallied and build it into other things you do and demand better from the technocrats or just kick them to the kerb. As independent and marginlised artists and as just good humans we deserve better. Rally communities that use tech don't build tech that makes demands of communities. I'm proud to have helped any and all that have felt seen, at home, connected with community or supported. 7/  @radiofreefedi OMG - I feel we have let you down. I should have done more to help but somehow it never happened. Sorry to hear there is no future for the station..... @radiofreefedi hats off and all the love to radio free fedi 💜 I wish I had found it sooner, and I'm sorry it's going away. Sincere thanks, and best wishes for the future. :artcapy2:   @radiofreefedi thanks for coordinating all this great stuff you were able to help share to the world. It's been a great ride and I hope your next adventures bring meaningful, if different, value with more sustainability. @radiofreefedi I'm really sorry to hear this but as someone who's worked on a number of volunteer/pro bono art projects and platforms over the years, I fully get where you're coming from. Thank you for the tremendous resource you created and nurtured, and let's hope it inspires someone else to launch their own cool project. @radiofreefedi this is sad to hear. Your support and work in the fedi music scene has been huge and wonderful. I’m glad you’re able to take care of yourself, though. RFF will be missed  It sucks to see this, but I get it. It's hard work, and I know how much you loved doing it... but one person can't hold everything together. I hate to see it, but I am glad you were able to make a brave decision like this for yourself, and frankly for the project. My heart is with you, friend. @radiofreefedi thank you so much for everything. You did something really remarkable with RFF.  @radiofreefedi every radio project pop up I've ever come across has been a delight and I appreciated them for the time they existed. (Probably because of my early experience with HS radio). Your efforts sit well in my mind as another source of delight. Thank you and all for everything that you provided, and thanks for airing some Banjo Patterson! @radiofreefedi Out of curiosity - what would fediverse APIs or infrastructure would have to have to make projects like yours approachable and maintainable by a single-ish person? Fedi would be a brighter richer place if there were more tools and low-budget options that are easy to pick up and run with long-term. A technical writeup would be amazing to read <3 That said - you have done remarkable job and I am truly sorry this amazing project had to end <3  @shved Technology isn’t the limiting factor, it’s meat. Most of the effort in running RFF has been people-type labour. Communicating with artists one-on-one. Vetting their music for adherence to the RFF ethos. Classifying tracks for inclusion in the Comfy or Specialty channels. Adding tags because they’re missing. Writing weekly station update toots. That stuff can’t scale without throwing more humans at it. |
Gregory's Server
The response to my asking for help for over a year, the pivots I made to be accommodating have been all proven unviable structurally, temporally and now personally. All of this has been considered to N degrees and has been quite a weight.
Please do not add to the many weirdly demanding comms I've been hit with during these desperate attempts to salvage the project. Asking at this time why or how or "what can you do" even if you think your intentions are sincere is not helpful.
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