Slim you answered your own question as to how websites make money with the ommission of selling data.
And yes WT hasn't started doing that - yet. Yet being the operative word.
The current financial crisis of Watchtower in historical context (part 1)
by slimboyfat 165 Replies latest members private
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sparky1
sparrowdown, 'Stop making sense!'
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Incognito
This new venture isn't just some make-do til armageddon el cheapo website no, it's a firm "digital foundation" ( their words). They're spending money hand over fist on this beast, and they're damn proud of it. - Sparrow
While what you say is true, other than soliciting for donations, they do not appear to have found a way of generating income with it, yet.
I suspect the website cost is not as high as we might think, especially if developed by in-house 'staff' and hosted on WT owned servers. I recall a prior thread which mentioned WT owning an internet service provider so their bandwidth cost could be well below average for a site with similar traffic.
The capabilities, appearance and actions of the GB v2.0, do not necessarily reflect on everyone at Bethel.
Edit:. You said similar while I was typing.
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Fisherman
And yes WT hasn't started doing that - yet.
The gov stopped wt from selling literature to the pubs and for JW to " sell" literature placements in the field.
You made me realize something. Look how much digital literature everyone is downloading for free. People should realize this and contribute accordingly.
What I have seen during the voluntary contribution for literature era is a lot of placements and yet hardly any contributions if any at all from sheeplike ones. And that could not be sustained forever.
Since wt went digital, selling paper books or selling digital books, or selling anything, is all the same to Uncle Sam; He still wants a cut. So, nothing has changed except the cost for tangible goods such as paper, ink, glue, string, power, less hungry bethelites to feed, freight, gasoline. So, now it's costing wt less to publish the same book ( do the math .) -Yet, wt is still in the same chip (boat); they can only ask for voluntary contributions without invoking Uncle Sam - and that is very little to finance the wt.
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LV101
Fisherman - Watchtower could still sell literature but it was going to be taxed so they went to their donation arrangement. I recall JWs having to pay the donation for the literature - I assumed all JWs were donating (under donation arrangement) at time literature was picked up at back of hall. I can't imagine the WT allowing people to pick up as much literature as they desired without donating a decent amount - comparable to the old, recommended price per journal, publication, etc?! I think the book/literature attendants watched this. I'm amazed.
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Fisherman
Watchtower could still sell literature but it was going to be taxed
T-axed????????!!!!!!!!!!! = stopped
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slimboyfat
So the way for Watchtower to start turning a profit again we've identified is charging subscriptions, selling advertising space, or selling user data.
How would they justify it? And would JWs subscribe, let alone anyone else?
More than that, what implications would it have for tax and charitable status?
They might try, I suppose, in desperation. But I doubt it, and I doubt it would work if they did.
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Fisherman
They might try
Never!!!!! Because, everything else that they do to produce taxable goods could also be subject to the ax.
So the way for Watchtower to start turning a profit again
And they would make a pretty penny too from the pubs -multi millions cash flow always turning in- if they could sell their literature, CDs, and digital stuff. Everyone would be more than happy to pay. But since wt didn't figure out a way to charge for tangibles because of taxation, they might not be able to sell non-profit their digital stuff either.
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Coded Logic
Concerning the OP, does anyone really think the GB is running the finances?
As I understand it, the GB involvement is almost entirely in scriptural and doctrinal matters. They spend way too much time traveling and speaking to be real CEOs. Isn't there a whole army of numbers guys and lawyers who are actually running the show (organisation)?
I'm not sure that the "Splane can't figure generations out therefore he can't run the empire" is necessarily the best argument.
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Fisherman
Concerning the OP, does anyone really think the GB is running the finances?
Depends on how running is being defined. Since GB are not officers of any of the corporate entities that make up "Watchtower, " GB are not legally responsible for wt finance but since money is very important to the org because you can't run the org without money and money is also GB non spiritual food bread and butter, I'll bet dollars for donuts that GB are on top of wt finances. -If that's what running means to you.