Betamax King's Media Archive Project.

Hey everyone.

I thought I'd give this a try to see if there was any interest in offering some financial support for the archiving I'm doing of old media like news, commercials, local Nova Scotia broadcast TV content, station idents, even music.

Hear me out! It'll only take a minute and... all we have is time.

I have a love and a mind of historic preservation and an affinity for old electronics which landed me square in the middle of probably the best thing I've ever dedicated my spare time to.... archiving old recorded media. It's my past and it's probably yours too if you're here.

It's incredibly important we look after this stuff - most people don't see it that way unfortunately.

While corporations and streaming businesses make certain we can watch our old shows and movies uninterrupted and remastered, everything that was in between gets left behind and that's where I come in, wandering along picking up the pieces and giving them back to the world.

There is a good handful of us out there doing it; spending our evenings in shadow by the light of a Trinitron tube and screens, the hum of tape heads and and loading mechanisms lending to the soundtrack of a cluttered corner or spare room... in my case, the basement.

It matters more than some people will ever know but unfortunately, it isn't free. Equipment, tapes, fuel, parts, repair costs, I've spent multitudes and continue to spend money on this. I don't mind at all but that isn't a limitless fund. I work 50 hours a week and while I can fund some of this, I have had to pass on gear and tapes because the timing wasn't right and the funds for a "hobby" went to necessity. I make absolutely NOTHING from this beyond the voluntary donations of people.

I do occasionally put the gear to work digitizing home videos for some funding but that isn't always on the go. A few good people out there have donated their tapes or old gear but that isn't common so this is where I'd like to reach out to you, you who appreciate and understand the value of the end result. Taped media won't survive for another hundred years but what I do here can.

I make a promise that any donations will go 100% back into this project directly. For equipment procurement, for equipment repairs, to purchase tape collections, and to travel as far as needed to collect media. For equipment upgrades as well. 

I want to do the best, I want to give my best to preserving the best of our yesterdays for tomorrow! It deserves it!

You'll get to see what I put the funds towards! You'll be playing a part in this endeavor, one that will outlive us all. You have my unwavering appreciation for your continued support and kind words over the years, they're the driving force that helped this become the dedication born from hobby that it is today!

I plan to keep this fundraiser going indefinitely so that when anybody has a moment to spare a couple of dollars, it will be here.

Thank you for being the good people that you are, it really does matter to me!

"There was never a war between VHS and Beta, just two kings destined for different thrones. As I look around this room, I see two who walked this world together, faced similar challenges, and common obstacles and shared an end much as they began life, side by side on a shelf. I dare say they'd buy each other a beer and have much to talk about"

And as always

Stay Tuned!

~BK