Click here to head over to our Patreon page.
Since launching in 2005, The Dreamcast Junkyard has always been a 100% independent, not-for-profit, ad-free initiative. The voluntary team keeping the show on the road do so solely out of a love for the scene, and everything that we produce is available to all without restriction, for free, in perpetuity. This operating model is at the heart of what makes the Junkyard what it is and our intention is to stick with it for as long as possible.
Maintaining the Junkyard does incur costs though. To date, these have been covered by a mix of one-off donations via BuyMeACoffee and personal donations from members of the Junkyard crew. Of course, we greatly appreciate every penny that has arrived in the Junkyard coffers from these sources, but as a model it is flawed due to its unpredictability. Therefore, to put the Junkyard on a firmer footing, we are now seeking to cover our costs via regular monthly donations.
Another Patreon, I hear you say? Yes, but with a bit of a twist. To retain the Junkyard's je ne sais quoi, it will function on the following basis:
- We are solely seeking to cover our modest operating costs, nothing more.
- Our costs will be publicly stated and we will also be fully transparent about all revenue raised.
- We will aim to cover our costs from as wide a spread of low-value recurring donations as possible, in order to make participation affordable.
- Patrons will receive our thanks, both privately and publicly, and the satisfaction of knowing that they have ensured that the Junkyard will continue to serve the scene with a DIY, independent, non-profit ethos.
I know, that was an absurdly convoluted way of saying "throw us a few quid to keep the lights on, will ya?". However, given that we are asking for your hard-earned cash, we feel it is important to be totally transparent about what we are doing and why we are doing it.
We are hopeful that those who can afford it might consider committing to a small monthly donation, in the full knowledge that others who can't may nevertheless gorge upon the Junkyard's content for free.
For our part, we will continue to bring you the freshest Dreamcast news, reviews, retrospectives, podcasts, videos, and everything in between.
For a full breakdown of our costs and an FAQ, both which will be periodically updated, please see below.
Much love from the DCJY crew.
Our Monthly Costs (last updated October 2024):
- £2.35 for website hosting (GoDaddy - includes domain name registration and DNS protection)
- £15 for podcast recording software (subscription to CleanFeed Pro - includes the ability to record on separate channels with better audio quality)
- £15 for podcast hosting (BuzzSprout - this includes magic mastering for better-sounding podcast episodes)
- Total: £32.35
What will the Junkyard team do if the income you receive is more than your costs?
Our aim is to solely cover our costs and we will manage our Patreon in a way that is in accordance with this (e.g. we won't be actively calling for new patrons if we are on target). However, should any surplus funds find their way to us, then these will either be spent directly on the Junkyard (for example, on DCJY booths at conventions), or be donated to worthy causes in the scene (such as the maintenance of servers, for example). In any such case, we would be fully transparent about our actions.
Why won't patrons receive any exclusive content in return for their donation?
We don't wish for anyone to be excluded from anything that the Junkyard produces, which is effectively what would happen should we provide exclusive content to patrons. Plentiful thanks will of course be given, in private, on the website, in the Discord channel and on the podcast. We also plan to do a regular Q&A on the podcast for our patrons.
Can I still make a one-off donation if I am unable to commit to a recurring one?
Yes! Our BuyMeACoffee page is still running for this purpose.
Why can't the Junkyard team just cover the costs themselves?
We love voluntarily giving our time to the Junkyard. It gives us the opportunity to flex our creative muscles and serve the fabulous Dreamcast community. We are just regular schmucks though, with rents to cover, mouths to feed, and bills to pay.
Who will be managing the Patreon account?
The Patreon account will be overseen by the coordinator of the Junkyard's voluntary team, Lewis Cox, with assistance from Laurence Goodchild (Lozz). Lewis will withdraw funds from the account solely for the purpose of paying the Junkyard's bills (all of which are detailed above).
If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?
We'll get back to you on that…