Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Help save Daily Dose from closure

Absolutely terrible news from Daily Dose this week, that unless adequate sponsorship can be found, the peerless drug news service that has been running since 2002 will close at the end of the month. For any blog readers that don't know about Daily Dose, and there cant be many, it is a BRILLIANT daily drug news listing website (and free subscription email) that is hand-complied 365 days (and nights) a year. Testimony to its brilliance is that it has over 6000 subscribers and gets 800,000 hits a month.




For Transform the service is invaluable. Google news alerts and similar automated news aggregators are, lets face it, a bit rubbish. They completely lack the depth, editorial input, and human touch that makes Daily Dose so incredibly useful. It is the editorial genius of Jim and the rest of the Wired Initiative team that means it outstrips any of the automated parliamentary news filter services Transform have used in the past, as well as automated news search services like Lexis Nexis - and these cost serious money, whilst Daily Dose is completely free. The great thing about the editorial content is the non-biased coverage from all news and information services across the web, reflecting the full range of media outlets and opinion in the drugs field. That's why everyone loves it and everyone uses it - from Whitehall and Government, through the treatment field, and across the non-government sector.

Daily Dose is a non profit free service supported by sponsorship - which to any commercial players in the drugs field should appear to be a complete bargain given the site's amazing profile. If there is one thing Daily Dose has fallen short on, it is marketing itself - probably because they are so obsessed with turning out first class content.

So to all you potential sponsors: compare the measly £5K you would have to spend to have your logo associated with the much loved and legendary Daily Dose (raking in 10 million hits a year, and a million or so emails direct to marketers-dream demographic in the drugs field) to the untold thousands you shell out on having one of those pointless fancy stalls at yet another awful drug conference where you speak to about three bored people who really just want a free pen.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for this Transform!

Yes, sorry that we cannot continue but you can't drive a car on fresh air. As Director of WIRED who run Daily Dose, I've been providing my own personal money to keep it running, and I cannot do this any longer.

We've not been able to market much, simply because we've only ever had a low level of sponsorship (for which we are very grateful), if any money at all. It's been a struggle, but a great joy to behold what is done in the field (as shown by DD) and to know that we have been helping people by providing the service. And to get so many positive comments.

We've done what we can to raise money, now it's up to those with money in the field to spring into action.

David Clark, Director of WIRED (soon to become Wired In)

Anonymous said...

Is there any way to donate less than £5K? As an individual I could pay £ £100-£200 per year as a legitimate subscription and put it against tax as I am self employed. Is there a way of doing this as I would love to see the dose continue as I find it essential to my work.


ian s

Anonymous said...

I really hope that Daily Dose can sort the funding situation out, it would be a shame for such a useful resource to dissapear from the internet.

I have always visited the site daily especially when big issues have been in the media as it shows different perspectives of media writings.

Goodluck and hope you keep running!

Wadi

Steve Rolles said...

Ian - I have suggested to Dave that a subscription model might cover the requisit funding gap. if 300 of the 6000 subscribers, thats only 5% so probably realistic, signed up to say, £10 a month, that would generate 36K a year. I understand that the DD team are exploring various options and haven't ruled out a subscription model (that does not preclude free access to the website or archive)

Anonymous said...

It would be great if we could provide small level ammounts I'd be happy to contribute as well.

That said is there any way for organisations also to provide smaller amounts, unfortunately we're project funded and don't have a spare £5000 floating around but might have £100-£200 available.

Anonymous said...

Hi All,

I've been in meeting all day and have to dash now, but I've just seen the comments. Will reply tomorrow morning about your thoughts. Emails flying in since Monday, have been trying to reply to all, hope I haven't missed any. It has been amazing reading all the positive comments. And thank you for yours.
David

Anonymous said...

I find Daily Dose to be an extremely accurate and usefull news portal. My work in the field would suffer considerably without it. I for one would pay a subscription to keep it running and think that for things to have progressed this far in it's possible demise, reflects badly on the state of affairs, not only in this field but across the UK as a whole. So come on, workers unite and stop the rot from getting any deeper-use your voices now, before it's too late.

Anonymous said...

Sorry for delay in getting back. I had been replying to all emails immediately - might have missed a couple by mistake - but yesterday I was in a meeting all day.

Firstly, let me reiterate that we will fight like mad to keep site up. But I cannot put more money in. I have been living on early retirement money for last 18 months whilst developing WIRED and Wired In behind scenes (and funding it). That has come to an end and I have no job other than run Wired In.

If you would like to donate then please use donate button site or let me know and I will send bank details. I was a bit hesitant at first accepting donations when not knowing whether site would continue, but people have emphasised that they wanted to donate anyway. And I guess I could give it back if the worst came to the worst. So any donations very gratefully received.

The subscription idea is being considered, but i don't want people not to be able to afford DD. We could have a voluntary subscription but that is like a donation which we have on site.

Anyway, will see what happens. Things are going on and I will update people on Tuesday.

Thanks again all.

Anonymous said...

For once I can endorse Steves views, and express my delight that he has taken up this worthwhile cause.

As David has indicated all donations large or small are welcome, and I am also delighted at the support of other commentators who have responded favourably to Steve's blog.

Anonymous said...

Here is £200 for the Daily Dose and worth every single penny. Happy Easter.

ian s

Anonymous said...

Just to let you know that David Clark - Director of Wired In, the organisation that runs Daily Dose - now has his own blog, 'the prof speaks out', at
http://davidclarkwired.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

Glad to see some action been taken on the news of Daily Dose closing.

Just some ideas and questions:

Is their anyway to cut the costs of running the website? i.e change hosting?

Are the main costs to the individual who collects the information from newspapers/blogs etc?

Could some of the work be automated via RSS reader systems?

Possibility of having a paypal donate button?

Please ignore the above if you dont think its constructive.

Cheers

Wadi