An apology

Hello Friends,

I need to apologise for some really annoying ads running on the site over the last few days.

These were what is known in the trade as network ads and that means basically we don’t know for sure what we’ll get until the network runs it. Over the years I’ve had a strict no noise rule for ads, but this particular network served them to us anyway. So, when the complaints came in, I axed the network. Which of course means I also axed the (admittedly paltry) income stream as well.

Now our already difficult advertising situation has become just a little worse.

We’ve always run this site on the smell of an oily rag, but no matter how hard we pare expenses (and we’ve really pared ‘em), the fact is that servers,  food, petrol and other such things actually cost money. I need some ideas about how to get some income happening.

So, I have a question for those of you who like this little site: how would you tackle the income issue?

I’d prefer to see an open dialogue via the comment system, but if you want to keep your remarks off the page, you can use the feedback form. Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

-Don

Looking for clip author

Can you help?

UPDATE: it took less than 12 hours for the RealSurf community to come up with the answer on this one!

We received the following email…

I am a TV producer looking for information on a video clip which was originally posted to the Real Surf message board, and was apparently was filmed on Collaroy Beach.

I want to use the clip on the show I am working on, but in order to do that, I need to get permission from whoever shot or owns the footage. I’m doing some detective work to try to track that person down, since the person who posted it on youtube doesn’t own it but says they got it off the Real Surf message board.

Here’s the clip:

Please let me know if you happen to know anything about who shot this, or who is in it, who originally posted it, etc. Any help at all or would be greatly appreciated, even if it’s just forwarding this message on to others who may possibly know. We would officially license it from the owner and pay them a fee, so someone may be happy to get this message. J