Comedian and journalist Dom Joly has pulled out of a new media venture after the planned website sent out letters saying it would “bring together 1,000 of the UK’s most entertaining and dynamic personalities”.
After the letter was sent out promoting Runaview as set to become “the biggest non-Silicon Valley website of all time” Joly turned to Twitter where he has 266,000 followers to distance himself a few days after the email was sent out.
FYI @LFBarfe had 1 meeting with @runaview and got onboard- have now read letters sent out using my name- I am no longer involved
— Dom Joly (@domjoly) October 15, 2014
Louis Barfe, author and radio reviewer mentioned in Joly’s tweet had already written two scathing blogs about the new venture. In one sent out on October 15, he lamented the fact that the “dynamic, expressive and informed personalities, writers and commentators” being approached to contribute were “being asked to provide their expertise and insight without recompense”. Runaview, he said, was “Dom Joly’s shit new Menshn” a reference to the failed attempt by former MP Louise Mensch to set up a rival to Twitter.
Potential contributors were advised to see the new site as a cross between TV show Have I Got News For You, rolling news and Twitter.
Contributors will not be paid for their words, in the same way they are not on Twitter, although posts are expected to be longer than 140 characters.
Speaking before the Joly bombshell, Jamie Spencer, a music journalist, who is the new site’s head of music, said: “It is all promotion based ... people can talk about their own business and own promotion.”
He was unavailable for comment after the news about Joly pulling out broke.
Showing a gift for self-promotion if nothing else, the letter to up to 1,000 potential contributors says: “The Spring 2015 launch date will ensure that Runaview is one of the key online hubs for pre-election debate and, if our strategy is executed correctly, it will grow to be the biggest non-Silicon Valley website of all time.”
The aim is to provide an “entirely free platform for experts to get their voices heard in a public arena, without being drowned out by the voices of others”.
The site aims to attract 1,000 contributors for its launch planned for next spring. Spencer said a number of “names we are very pleased about” were already signed up but declined to say who these “actors, comedians, amusing journalists and celebrities” were.
The response rate is unknown as yet but several journalists targeted by the email have complained about the lack of any payment for expected work.
“In terms of how often you use it and how much effort you need to put in, it’ll be no different to Twitter,” writes Spencer. “The main differences are that there’s no word limit, an exclusive community (in terms of who can post), and everyone starts with 10,000s of followers – the Runaview audience – which if all goes to plan will grow to 1,000,000s of followers before long.”
The company, which has a Facebook page with 248 likes, has a marketing budget of “over £100k” from several investors, who will also remain anonymous for now.
Up to 100 contributors will be from the world of music with others drawn from other entertainment areas.
Runaview promises “the key issues of each day will be discussed by those who understand them best”.
