RadioFreeCash Launches Pay-To-Listen Service

Paying users to watch banner ads has been popularized by companies like GoToWorld and AllAdvantage.com. A new company, however, has taken that concept and applied it to Internet radio. Start-up RadioFreeCash (http://www.radiofreecash.com) announced today it was unveiling its "pay-to-listen" service, which pays listeners to listen to a net radio station. It also announced its first major partnership with community site, theglobe.com ( http://www.theglobe.com).

Theglobe.com will promote a co-branded version of RadioFreeCash's listening application, called GlobeRadio, when it rolls out on April 2000.

Like those banner programs, RadioFreeCash pays listeners for every minute they listen to the radio, and well as for any referrals they make. How does it work? You must register and download the "Listening Bar" application, which allows you to listen to the music. You're paid $.20 an hour for up to 100 hours a month (that's $20). But you're also paid for referrals (although at slightly lower per-hour prices). The kicker is that you will occasionally hear audio commercials and get audio prompts asking you to click a button on the Listening Bar. That's their way of ensuring that you're still there and listening.

"theglobe.com is an ideal partner for us due to its robust and diversecommunity network," said Chip Stevens, CEO of RadioFreeCash. "We believe thatour service will add tremendous value to theglobe.com's audience as they getpaid for an activity that they already enjoy -- listening to music."

RadioFreeCash.com was founded in September 1999.