[Renee]

It does appear that TV is concerned about any negative comments that might appear on the forums. Maybe they think it will hurt new sales. They give the impression of trying to control everything. Just look at what happened to the resale’s they sell. No outside realtors allowed. I say we find a way to get the word out about TOTV to the thousands that don’t know it exists yet.

[nanci2539]

Maybe people who are planning on moving to TV shared the information on this site with the TV sales rep. Just a thought but it seems to me that the Sun or TV management may have issues with this site and it's a control issue with them.

I think it's a wonderful site and i don't interpret anything posted as negative - just helpful.

[gfmucci]

I would suggest scheduling an appointment with the owner/publisher of the paper and send a delegation representing the interests of this site to have a sit-down chat to dialogue about the purpose of your site and the basis for their fears and go on from there.

[jtdraig]

Oh, please....The Daily Sun is like the daily activities sheet at Camp Happiness & Joy. The editorial page is somewhere to the right of Ann Coulter. You have to get The Sun because like all community papers it is the only game in Town. It is nothing more than reflective of the Developer's organization and the predominance of political thought in this area. They shouldn't be restricting advertising but this website does allow for a free exchange of opinions on a variety of subjects including what's good and bad about The Villages. The key word here is "bad" about the Villages (or offering/evaluating other alternatives) so like being in steerage on the Titanic your chances of being allowed to advertise in the Sun are doomed.

[handieman]

Quote from the Home page:
The forum is getting more than 300,000 page views a month, and about 10 new members sign up each day

???

So I'm saying to myself, if it ain't broke why are we trying to fix it??

Of course the SUN newspaper wants to ignore the fact that TOTV exists, they have no editorial control over it and also TOTV is sapping some of their advertising revenue. But hey the SUN does a great job in making us "feel good" and giving us the information we crave for. Someone said the SUN is slightly more "right" than Ann Coulter ( now thats funny ;D) The highlight of my stay in TV is to ride (or walk) to the post office to get the morning paper. Let them be and get over it, the TOTV website is growing like wildfire and if you insist, there are other means of attracting attention.

Lets move on and smell the roses, remember were "old" and it's time to laugh and have fun

Handie :joke:

Said that :bigthumbsup:

[GERALDINE]

On the same note let me say that I opened up TOTV to voice my personal complaint about the Daily Sun and lo and behold you beat me to the punch!!!

I called yesterday to place an ad for our for sale by owner home and we have it on 2 websites and I wanted (needed) to put those websites in for people to go to to get more information and look at pictures. They said, "...we're sorry we cannot print websites for For Sale By Owner websites..." I said, "WHAT...whatever happened to Freedom of the Press...?" Her reply was, "...this is THE VILLAGES and "they" made the decision not to print those websites..." I was shocked!!! I put the ad in the way "they" wanted it and paid big bucks to do it...but in hindsight I should have told them to "stuff it"!! :edit: We won't be renewing our subscription to "their" paper.

Is this Un-American or what???? Just goes to show that "THEY" (...ie: The Family) are in this for the $$$$ and want to sell only THEIR listings.

I'm really disgusted with both their refusal to print your ad and mine!!! >

[GERALDINE]

Originally Posted by efrahin

I will recommend to every TV resident to boycot the Sun. That is free enterprise and democracy working at the same time.

AMEN...and Nuff Said !!!

[RCT]

Originally Posted by JKP

On the same note let me say that I opened up TOTV to voice my personal complaint about the Daily Sun and lo and behold you beat me to the punch!!!

I called yesterday to place an ad for our for sale by owner home and we have it on 2 websites and I wanted (needed) to put those websites in for people to go to to get more information and look at pictures. They said, "...we're sorry we cannot print websites for For Sale By Owner websites..." I said, "WHAT...whatever happened to Freedom of the Press...?" Her reply was, "...this is THE VILLAGES and "they" made the decision not to print those websites..." I was shocked!!! I put the ad in the way "they" wanted it and paid big bucks to do it...but in hindsight I should have told them to "stuff it"!! :edit: We won't be renewing our subscription to "their" paper.

Is this Un-American or what???? Just goes to show that "THEY" (...ie: The Family) are in this for the $$$$ and want to sell only THEIR listings.

I'm really disgusted with both their refusal to print your ad and mine!!! >

Although I agree with you being upset, I don't agree with your saying this is "un-american". It is actually about as American as you can get, the freedom to do biz with someone or not. Now, I don't agree with their decision, but, I do agree with their right.

[Peggy D]

Originally Posted by nanci2539

Maybe people who are planning on moving to TV shared the information on this site with the TV sales rep. Just a thought but it seems to me that the Sun or TV management may have issues with this site and it's a control issue with them.

I think it's a wonderful site and i don't interpret anything posted as negative - just helpful.

Nanci,
I agree with you. I don't feel there are "nagative" comments on this site. I would call them "informed". As a future Villager, I appreciate everyone's honest replies to my (and many others) questions concerning TV. I haven't found any "deal breakers" that would change my mind about wanting to move there. I feel I am better informed when I meet with TV sales rep,and I know what to expect in way of response from them--thanks to ALL of you.

Sounds to me The Daily Sun is feeling alittle threatened. Not a biggie

[mzmom3]

Friends- this is THE VILLAGES. It's the way they've operated since Gary Morse and family took over and the way they run this huge retirement city. As THE VILLAGES like to say, "if you don't like it, leave." Pretty nice, huh?

To be happy here, you have to learn to ignore and accept or it'll drive ya nuts.

[GERALDINE]

Originally Posted by muscles59

Although I agree with you being upset, I don't agree with your saying this is "un-american". It is actually about as American as you can get, the freedom to do biz with someone or not. Now, I don't agree with their decision, but, I do agree with their right.

EXCUSE ME???? Does our American Constitution NOT give us the right to Freedom of Speech and Freedom of the Press??? If you don't call not allowing ads that might be "competition" to them a breach of this freedom...A Freedom that our forefathers fought and died for, then I guess I don't know what Un-American is.

Everyone is right in saying people have the RIGHT to do business or not do business with whomever they please, but if you're going to own, run, print and sell a community newspaper then you should let it be just that....Community...and not a dictatorship. "King of the Hill" was fun to play as kids but it's not fun when you're trying to pay good money to place a legitimate ad for your home for sale and you're not the King :joke:

Is there not some other way to get the message about TOTV out without advertising in the Villages Daily Sun?

Postcards to some of the people in various Villages? Mass mailings to Villagers about TOTV. Do you need permission to use the US mails in the Villages about TOTV? Local TV station ads? Probably way too pricey? Other local newspapers like the ones in Orlando, Leesburg, and Ocala?

[Hyacinth Bucket]

Since we do not live in TV yet, my lack of knowledge will be showing here.

1. If clubs have an email address you can do a mass email mailing, no charge, and ask to speak to that group - this I think on one of the Sticky subjects.

2. The next least expensive thing to get the word out would be mailing an informative postcard to each club and requesting to speak to the club members, at a meeting.

3. More expensive, send a letter to each club, to have them place an insert in there letters to members about TOTV

Question - if there is a large positive response, can the Administrators handle it? They are all volunteering their time.

Mystery - boycott - yes advertisers in the Sun would get hurt, but that is a way of changing things that people are unhappy about. If the advertisers are aware that there may be a boycott, they themselves could say something to the owners.

This has been done on Television, when a program has fallen in disfavor, the advertisers threaten to pull out, if the show is not changed or taken off the air.

Without advertisers many papers, television stations, etc. would not be able to exist.

Hyacinth Bucket

[opbob77]

The number one priority of any dictatorship is control of the media and to keep the rabble in the dark as to what is really happening. Now let's see? Here in TV the developer owns the newspaper, the tv station, the radio station, and the magazine. The only 'outside' view is in the Star Banner Reporter which is mailed becuase I understand TV will not allow it to be delivered. Given the 100's of views of TOTV, it seems that TV would embrace the opportunity. Instead they reject it and hope no one reads a thread like this one. How stupid is that? ???

[GERALDINE]

Hyacinth Bucket:

Great reply