After 10 years in the satire business, Waterford Whispers News (WWN) is rolling out a new fan subscription service. Creator Colm Williamson and his team of two writers are launching the service to help WWN survive and thrive in the face of legal threats, restrictions imposed by social media giants and the realities of shrinking online ad revenue.
The fan-led subscription service launches on Monday, November 11 and will cost just €5 a month. Williamson said those signing up to support WWN will gain access to bonus content while keeping the site itself free and accessible to all. Satire fans and all-round comedy junkies can access behind the scenes bonus content from WWN, personality-driven interviews, exclusive offers and discounts, along with some other projects planned.
“We’re joining the likes of Blindboy Boatclub, Second Captains and An Irishman Abroad,” Williamson said, “and looking to our fans who enjoy and value our work. After a lot of research and deliberation, we see this model as the best way to ensure WWN can continue its journey and produce satire that makes headlines and enemies around the world.”
Williamson said some of the legal threats they have received were designed to shut them up and ruin them financially. He said WWN staff received the odd death threat or 10. The suppression of their work by big online platforms has been chilling and does not bode well for the future of satire and artistic expression online, he added.
Established in Williamson’s apartment in Tramore, having become unemployed in the wake of the recession, WWN has released six bestselling books, earned several awards, had its work archived in the National Library and performed at Electric Picnic, Cat Laughs, the 3 Arena and Vicar Street. More recently, Facebook reached out to Williamson for him to help advise them on how the social network giant manages satire and dark humour.
WWNs work has seen it included in Donald Trump’s campaign emails, its website hacked by North Korea and its articles being shared by such luminaries as Michael Moore, Margaret Atwood and Ru Paul’s Drag Race’s Yvie Oddly. Due to the nature of the beast, Williamson stressed: “No, this announcement isn’t fake f**king news.”
WWN’s new fan subscription is at https://waterfordwhispersnews.com/fansupport/
