Shitty but what can you do...
I'm one of September's numbers as well.

At least you didn't shut down an entire office in Detroit using a blogpost like Tesla Motors did today!

So, if the rate resolution secures the future of Pandora's business model, will those employees be hired back?

Just curious...

Dude, that really sucks. Sorry to hear. Hang in there. I've been through so many RIF's in the past 10 years (lived through the first dot-bomb era).

Love the product. Can't wait to get an iPhone (mainly so I can use Pandora on the go).

Letting staff go, especially good people who work hard and are friend, is one of the hardest things a manager can do. It will be especially hard on the staff who remain. Selfishly, I'm glad so many of you are still there and that Pandora is still with us.

Maybe you should take down the "we're hiring" link.

We listen everyday at work, and understand what you're going through. I have a lot of respect for the founder of the company to step-up and make a statement. These are tough times for everyone and I will continue to support Pandora.

I wasn't the only one laid off this week, i see. My ad firm, along with countless others are really feeling this pinch.

Leading a company through tough times is extremely difficult. I'm sorry to hear you are going through this.

I know there are a lot of pandora fans like me that want to help pandora be successful.

So my question is this. What can we do to help?

Does signing up for subscriptions help pandora's costs or is it only provided for people that want to avoid advertising? Do you need us to make any more calls to congress? Is there something else we can do that will help?

Let us know and I for one will be ready to help.

Thanks for keeping Pandora going. You guys are awesome!

Paul

i'm so sorry for everyone involved -- you included. i've been on both sides of the layoff conversation and it's always a very sad time. you have a wonderful idea and a great company and i wish you a big rebound soon.

oh yes -- and to echo paul, i'd pay to get pandora.

don't underestimate the loyalty and enthusiasm of your listeners!

we really want you guys to succeed.

Tim

New to the blog, but I've been a grateful visitor for a while now and have turned on anyone who would listen about your site.

But I keep wondering: when are they (you) going to monetize? I've been waiting for you guys to hit me up for a fee or donation, as so many great sites do.

I pay for cutting edge news -- I would gladly subscribe to pandora.

Tweak that business model. I would hate to see you go away. Just selfish.

I started paying for Pandora a while ago because I love the product so much that I thought I should. This is one of the few times I've ever said that when there was an ad supported free version. Now I guess my stupid question is, which model provides you with more income?

I love pandora and have used it nearly everyday since I discovered it. Thank you for an amazing product and I hope things get easier for you guys.

Ever wondered why CEOs and founders never lay off themselves?

Sorry, couldn't resist :-)

why can't I get pandora on the sprint palm centro.... I'm so bummed....

And... Is it any possibility you re-open the site for all the non-US listeners? The more users accessing your site the more incoming you earn.

I don't know about these legal issues, but it should be a win-win action. You earn more money, artists earn more money and RIAA earn more money (for nothing) if local RIAA (SGAE in Spain, i.e) doesn't want to allow this.

Pandora is the best online music player I have ever used. I wish good luck to the company, its employees, and the employee who were let go. In these economic times harsh decisions are required and those decisions pave a path for the company's future.

To the employees who were let go, please do not hold a grudge against Pandora. I have never seen the founder of a company write such a compasionate message about their actions. Please hang in there and you will find something that will make you happy and hopefully allow you to prosper.

As a small business owner myself I definitely feel your pain. Keep the faith!

On another note, I am a Blackberry customer that will soon have the Blackberry Storm. It has steaming capabilites with it's new OS as well as the Bold. Any ideas when we can expect an app? It would be a huge infusion of customers as Blackberry users make up 42% of all smartphone users in the US as compared to 5.2% for the iPhone.

Thanks again and good luck!

I whole-heartedly agree with Paul. Let your fans know how we can help!

Hey

My friend Bitsy works for Pandora. She is great at getting the word out about the site.

It has CHANGED my life. the BEST music experience EVER. ALL day long !!!!!!!

Sorry to hear this. On the other hand I switched to last.fm a few weeks ago as I could never solve the problem Pandora had with stopping songs midway through and starting a new song. I like Pandora's feature set and interface better, it's just not as reliable.

Tim,
I am a student at Boston University and I am writing a feature on Pandora Radio/ The Music Genome Project. I absolutely love your work and have tried to spread and promote it as much as possible. It is unfortunate to hear of the recent layoffs.
I would love to ask you a few questions regarding your history with MGP and Pandora and the future of the company. I feel it would help my feature greatly and also help the Boston community get to know you better. Please let me know if you would be willing to answer a few questions via email.
sincerely,
geraud gonzales

As a CEO of a small business in Texas, I understand your sadness. Our employees are what has made our business what it is today. Just had one employee celebrate her 20th anniversary with us and my wife a I presented her and her spouse a vacation to Europe. I am new to Pandora and am using it on my new i phone. I cant believe that a 62 year old could be so high tech. Your format is great, keep up the good work. Times will be better. I have been thru three economic slowdowns and this is probably the worst of the three but our country is strong and will rebound. Hang in there. I feel your emotions for your employees. Good Luck

I hate hearing this, but it is the nature of business all too often. It is refreshing to hear that Pandora is doing their best to ease those let go, rather than some that just hand out a small severance check and wish them luck as the door swings shut.
I listen to Pandora Radio all the time at work and at home. I have discovered so many excellent new bands that I would hardly have ever been exposed to otherwise. I wish the best for the group and know that you have adoring fans.

That's too bad, Tim. I was going to apply for the lead Interaction Designer role, but I see now that it has been removed from your Jobs page.
http://blog.pandora.com/jobs/

Speaking of which, it seems a bit odd that you have any job positions still open right after a layoff, no? That's gotta make the people who were laid off not feel so great.

Hello,

Sorry to hear about the layoffs. You're probably in no mood to entertain ideas about expanding your product capabilities. But here goes. How about integration with a concert tracking service such as SongKick? Most of those services integrate with iTunes, but I'd love for concert recommendations to come out of your music recommendation engine.

Tim, I love you guys and I always have. Please let me know if there is anything that I can do to help-

Oh, dang; I was about to ask for a job, ha...

If you ever need a web-master or have any positions available, let me know!

Hey you should attach some interface to the user generated stations that allows the user to purchase the last hour of the playlist.

So very sorry to hear of the required cutbacks in personnel there. I discovered Pandora quite by accident and I listen to you every time my computer is turned on! I've spread the word to everybody I talk to! Even on my 15-minute break at work I turn you on! I hope for better times and that your staff understands...keep up the GREAT work!!!!

All the best, Dennis

tim, thank you for holding that pain of losing people and not running away from it. thank you for being an employer that feels that and sees each person as an integral part of your company.

i think it is this aspect of true care that i can see in pandora. loving it so much makes sense now.

Well, that is a pity... esp. when your competition is chomping at the bit to take your market share and your listenership.

Still think cutting off your international readership was a smart decision? Mmm.

I know that Last.FM thinks it was a great decision... They really like me!

Kenneth

well that really sucks tim is there any way i can get some friends from the colleg to help out im a little to young so yeah

Terribly sorry to hear the news. Please keep up the great work. My paid subscription to Pandora just lapsed and this news (though it shouldn't have taken this) is the reminder I needed to open my wallet and pay for what I enjoy. Vote with your dollars, people! Best of luck to Tim and the remaining staff -- wishing you great success. And wishing the best to the staff leaving. Here's hoping you find a great job quickly.

hi Tim,

:) ... that's how it is. Life is not rose color all the time. Today we have tomorrow maybe not, we should be ready.

i'm sure those people will find job easy after working for Pandora. In the US is way easier to find job than in most countries (even jobs like bartending and serving tables are so well paid here). They will be fine, lets pray for them :).

I wanted to ask you...

Are you single? dont u want a smart pretty girl :)?

blesss it up

Sorry to hear about your need to lay people off. It's gonna be hard times I fear for a while. Love the station and the choices. However, the Loisiana contingent is sorely lacking. While I realize Cajun and Zydeco are somewhat limited markets, they represent two genres of music with a rich history and need to be saved from obscurity. Please consider doing some research. I'd be happy to make some suggestions if you'd like. My friends and I are addicted to the dance around these styles, and I would be happy to promote Pandora with them if you can increase the play list.

It's a roller-coaster, but if folks out there enjoy the product, that you few insightful people have put together half as much as I, there is NO DOUBT that you will be calling them back soon.
I tell people everywhere about Pandora, but few I run into have heard of the sight. Hours and hours of exploratory bliss.

sorry for the set back rainman

I am sad to hear this. Our company just discovered all you have to offer. I hope things pick up for you.

Just a thought...why didn't you put those 20 people in the sales department where you need employees?

Its nice to see someone from the top care about what you do and who it effects.

everybody seems to be thinking backwards in times like this people need to work in order for things to get better working people pay taxes,shop,and do banking laying folks off kills the economy...if everybody worked our taxes would be lower.items on the shelf my not be cheaper however curculating money is very good .. so if you want to help get those folks back to work asap

I guess it is getting tight all over

Pandora is VC funded. VCs love to "cull the herd" in their portfolio companies. Basically, force the company to get rid of the the 10-20% of the company that is the lowest performing or redundant positions. Tim is sad because it wasn't his choice. It was the VCs choice. And all the VCs are thinking because of the current economic "situation" their portfolio companies need to get a bit more lean. Hence, time to "cull the herd".

It would be most interesting to see what parts of the company these cuts came from. Sales? Biz Dev? Music Analysts? Sales people? Operations?

"Sorry to hear this. On the other hand I switched to last.fm a few weeks ago as I could never solve the problem Pandora had with stopping songs midway through and starting a new song. I like Pandora's feature set and interface better, it's just not as reliable."

I also have this problem, does anyone know of a fix? Or is it their way of not having to pay full royalties?

I ADORE Pandora

I make a special effort to tell everyone whom I think would be interested about the quality, relative simplicity and overall functionality of Pandora.

I added a High-End Audio System to my computer mainly because of Pandora...and I was not disappointed by the outcome.

Losing Pandora would make my world a little less interesting (perhaps more than just a little).

I will continue to spread the word for as long as Pandora continues to serve me as well as it has so far.

For The Record:
Pandora is the best streaming radio/online music source I have found thus far....and my search for something like Pandora was lenghty and exhaustive.

I love this site but I would love it more if I could take it to my car job..... think of it Pandora every where just go to the site customize and via satellite connect to your profile that simple and think who would want to advertise on your site.

That sucks bro but you tried and offered them support and wern't a dick. Not many bosses would downsize then blog about how it upsets them. They would go on with theie day like nothing happened. You can only do so much. Its good to see good people out there. Keep doing what your doing (not the downsizing part)

pandora,I'm sorry to hear about you loosing employees.We are all not fortunet to be able to keep help.We can only hope and be determinded to make our goverment to do the right thing.the world today is in its own utopia.I believe that America should close our country down and help re-build it like roosivelt did turn America back into America.There are so many places we can start with.And music is a big help when times are hard.You rember your childhood and teenage years.Also you forget hardship.I work 8hrs.and come home and work . My wife works 14-16hrs. a day.and we have 3 lovely children.Its sad when you can't see your kids.So I personally thank pandora for you and your music.thank so kindly.I'm a proud listener.I like country,blues,1960'sthru 1970's classic rock and punk,and last but least hair band error. keep it real signing off.

One thing there is no lack of is support for Pandora as a product, company and the staff. Hopefully the silver lining is that the company has made it thus far and those who are no longer there can say they had a hand in building one of the web's greatest personalized music sites. Be strong, be committed, be well.

Thanks for all your comments and your support!
We really appreciate hearing from you.

Best,
Lucia, from Pandora

HOLA !!!!

Hey Luci or Tim...

I was serious about knowing the marital status of Tim. I know its very dificult a guy like that could be single...but .. you never know... doesnt hurt to ask.... anyway... nobody know me there....

click the link of the website I put in this comment..its from my country and the song there is for Tim.

I understand the licence problem but my friends in my country would turn crazy if Pandora can be hear there...hopefully in the future...

Hi Tim... I am your new fan #1.... by the way.. I do php, jsp, aspx, css, xhtml... I also dance a lot hard core :)... we would have so much fun haha...

ahhh let me dream , cause dream is free...like Pandora...

blessssss it up for all u guys...

and the people that were laid off...well... they are not babies plus they live in a country full of job opportunities... why do you think sooo many foreigns like me are here? Here there are the biggest amount of jobs in the world (even with crisis)...its all up to how warriors they are..I wouldnt be that worry..but I got your point.

Hope you are feeling better today, have a very nice and productive week :) bye,
Su

By the way...

for those that are talking "smarty" about Last.FM :

Pandora is the NUMBER ONE ,

and a copy will never overcome the ORIGINAL...

If you cant appreciate the MGP, then go... cause
there are millions who are comming in.

Somos los que somos y estamos los que estamos,

blesss it up for Pandora !!!!

Speaking of Pandora on mobile devices, when will you be making a partnership with Verizon? I would love to listen to Pandora on my LG Dare but sadly my device does not support Pandora right now.

SOMETIMES I WOULD LOVE TO FOR IT TO PLAY A SONG AGAIN.IS THERE SOMEWAY YOU CAN GET IT TO REPEAT A SONG.I LOVE THE SITE I LISTEN EVERYDAY ALL DAY AT,HOME,AND WORK.BETTER THAN TV

Whats happening with trying to get Pandora accessed by everyone?

The rest of the world misses Pandora!! :(

Please don't give up, we're still waiting.

Well, music is universal so all understand that things happen and music can freely express for all.

This earth is a school ground so take what you learn and move on with another skill, and shoot for a memory that will stay with you. For life we must make it happen for the good while we are here.
Sky is the limit!!!!

Su - Yes indeed, Tim is married. :)

Cali - We'd love to be available on Verizon phones! I hope it happens.

Meredith - Sorry, there's no legal way for us to repeat a song for you.

Cheers, Lucia

:(

You have done a very good job with the site keep up the good work. Sorry bout ur employees :( I hope things get better. I'am sure that things will get better in the end:)

Okay, Pandora's letting people go from what the first paragraph said. So excuse me if I came in late or just overlooked something, but the last paragraph noted that ad sales were heightened so why not employ back those let off or why let off in the first place. I know that is Confo info, but just wondering?

Sorry to hear the you had to downsize, I have been through that 3 times myself. I am glad to know that you are in NY City, just visted the great apple this past week-end and always enjoy myself as well as I enjoy listening to Pandora. I'm new to the Pandor family but I completely satisfied.

Thanks for continuing to share your thoughts on this, everyone. One question that seems to be common is why are we still hiring ad sales people while we're letting people go in other areas.

I completely understand how this seems contradictory. The path we're trying to forge here is to lower our costs while increasing revenue.

While our advertising revenue is on a great trajectory, our listener growth has been even more rapid - so we have a lot of potential revenue to go after.

By increasing the size of our ad sales team we increase our ability to bring in that potential revenue. By making cuts in other areas we control our costs.

Hope this makes sense.

Tim

I too am having a problem with Pandora cutting off songs. Also, I'm listening to my "Thelonious Monk" station and after four songs I still haven't heard Thelonious. I discover a lot of musicians I didn't know about through Pandora, but it would be nice to hear Thelonious when I ask for Thelonious, and it would be nice to hear from more than three or four Monk albums.

Tim

Thatsucks majorly.As a long time listener, I appreciate everything you guys have done as a whole.Hopefully sometime in the near future you can rehire and even grow again. Its a tough nut out here. I know my company went on strike 2 1/2 months ago. I have a mortgage and mouths to feed.
Hang tough Tim. This is when we need music more.
God Bless Pandora

I started my own small business coupled with a poor choice in a business partner. This lead to unfortunatly shutting down my entire business- and letting go all of my employees that all held that special place with me. I know how hard it is. Can you make a posting that will come up when we log on to Pandora so that listeners know how to support your site more effectivly. Hopefully Pandora never goes out of business, even through economic hardship, you make my day full of smiles.

Has any one else noticed that the songs have been ending have way through, or ending before it barely gets started? Whats up with that? ...Getting on my nerves.

Of course make total sense....

They need more sellers to bring money to pay the employees that are not sellers,

By the way, I live in Los Angeles, there are many stores and big companies here...

Could I just go and try to sell advertisement? I have a degree in sales and I have sold before, maybe I can just go an try...or you prefer better not? Let me know I would love to do it and just get a comission if I make it :)... ,

blesssss,

Su

Tim -
Found your site today - GREAT

A huge under taking to consider -
A link to the lyrics of each song as it is playing.

Best of luck as you grow.

K

man the voids are huge but thank you I was in Seattle during the eighties and knew (not well) Layne etc. he held my son before my mom! love what your doin here 4 real! I was a sorority cook then at 20 tryin to get em to listen to Mother love Bone and Alice, Sound Garden and Jaines to name a few. They called me Satan and then two years later it was all the played now I'm back uin Idaho doin the same thing cookin for 70 girls that is and one of my frat boy hashers turned me on to you well Nice to hear the Gits, Tones on tail and on and on wish I could get some Grunt truck tho, damb I filled a huge mason jar over a ten year stint at the u of W then took time off its time to educate the finer thin's to listen to to these kids and them me . Peace! I remember seein' Andrew Wood every day on the ave to and from work and sure miss the rock candy growers stoppin off at my house every night bringin fun people to meet like Dem and many more love what your doing. Tom

What A drag,I'm sorry to hear such bad news.
Butt I really think the way things are going
Pandora will ROCK on, And you can hire those
employs back.Butt A man has to do what A man
has to do.So Keep on Keepn' on Tim (and the
rest of your fantastic TEAM.

Best Wishes Rick Cain

I'm sorry for the loss to your company. These times are getting scarier and scarier by the day for pretty much everyone.

I originally came here to post a huge THANK YOU for finally making the Pandora app available for the Instinct...I subscribed this week and have been enjoying it very much. I just can't thank you enough for making that happen!

I'm pretty sure most of us around here would subscribe to your web service if you set it up that way...I did not hesitate for the mobile app...well worth it, and then some!

Hang in there...hoping for better times ahead.

Kim

hey man, i'm sorry that the company had to go through that, but your on the right path man. I'm a serious fan of what you've put together here and everywhere I go, when I encounter real music fans, I tell them over and over, Pandora.com man. Keep moving forward my brother, even greater things lie in your future.

-MayDay
myspace.com/maydaybeats

I'm sorry for your loss. Times are HARD, and the worst thing is that it's not really our fault, still you work with what you have.
One question though. I am going to purchase a G1 as opposed to an IPOD, mostly because I prefer T-mobile to AT&T. Will I be able to load my Pandora lists using the Android operating system? Please don't tell me you signed a proprietary contract with Apple. Don't get me wrong, I love my MAC, but I also like the freedom of spreading my eggs around to many baskets.

I just found Pandora last night and I love it!!
So very sorry to hear about the lay offs!!:( hopefully things will be picking up and they will be hired back. I will be praying for them.
I totally love Pandora,it is better and easier to
use than Rhabsody(not sure of the spelling)and
the lyric section is great!!you don't know how
many songs I sing with the wrong words!!lol
keep on keeping on!!!

I never turn Pandora off.. I don't turn the tube on anymore and tell everyone I know about this site.. I can't believe the support I've just read isn't enough to keep you all in the excessive green.

Sorry to hear that.

I too love Pandora and am sorry to hear about the hard times hitting you, as well as everyone else. I was wondering if there is any thought in the works for creating a "Broadway" genre that could include songs from musicals?
thanks

Your product has been a huge blessing to my husband and I. Thank you so much for including such a fantastic collection of music - including a ton of Christian tunes of all genres. I would encourage you to do a ton of guerilla marketing online, i.e. free or cheap. You have such a viral product. I am sure all you fans will post you to their FB pages and more.

I would be completely OK with hearing occasional inline audio advertising in my Pandora feed, if that would keep you guys in business and keep the service available. Maybe a 3 second audio splash every 4th or 5th song and a 15 second ad every hour or so, regardless of how often I change stations or log-off / log-on?
I LOVE!! Pandora, and have recommend it to just about everybody I know!

I hope this cheers you up. I am a first year high school art teacher and I play Pandora every single day in class. The students have enjoyed the stations i choose, and have told me that they have now joined at home. It has also been brought up that the music helps them relax in class and has now become one of their favorites because this. I want to tell you thank you on behalf of my students and myself, for helping create such a great creative atmosphere for this classroom.

Hey Tim and Pandora Family,

I'm real sorry about the recent layoff's that you have experienced but I just wanted to tell you all that this service you provide for your listening audience is nothing but AWESOME!!

I wish I could subscribe and not just take advantage of the FREE part...but I'm just not able to at this time.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR PANDORA!! You make my work day truly livable......!!! Sincerely, 'da Wind Dancer

Hey! I totally agree with Jennifer's post she wrote on October 28th....If having occasional advertising on it will help, that's okay by me!!

ANYTHING to help keep PANDORA alive and well!!!

keeep the faith my friends...

I love Pandora and hate to hear that members of it's family have had to move on.

Thanks to you all for making it what it is.

On another note, I can't believe that I went this long without Pandora. The last three months since I discovered it's wonder have made work much more bareable.

Thanks again to you all.

wow I have found heaven with pandora! I hope your company will survive. Pandora rocks!

Perhaps a better selection of music would have saved those employees. I can never find anything on Pandora, unless I'm looking to listen to the same stuff I hear every where else.

OK, just an idea, you should have a donations box. Make sure listeners know that you are in need, and never doubt the loyalty of listeners!

What can fans do to help support Pandora?

I saw a link in the "you've-been-inactive-for-too-long" dialog about subscribing, but despite all my clicks around the site now, I can't find info about it. As some users above have asked, does that imply that you get more revenue from the ad-supported listeners? Do advertising companies consider advertising with pandora more successful based on the number of click-throughs?

I re-state my main question, and the question of some other commentators as well: what can fans do to help support Pandora?

Tim,
I'm sorry you had to lose some of your staff. I am a new but very loyal listener to Pandora, and absolutely LOVE what you are doing. The best you can do is treat your staff with care and respect. Times will turn around, and Pandora will be incredibly successful. I really appreciate what you are doing!
Debbi

I am sorry. But you know what life is that way. You go through good and bad times. I really like this website and I go to it everyday and it plays all the music I want. You have done a great job and you should not give up!

I found your website two years ago and I am amazed at the improvements in just this period of time. Musically it is my favorite place to visit on the web. It is great that you made a statement to the entire family and listeners/viewers, your difficulty and appreciation to those who contribute to your success, of the pandora project. Our hearts go out to all the families this has impacted and God Bless.

So sorry to read about the lay-offs...I too had been laid-off recently..I always enjoyed listening to your website music everyday at work..thanks for keeping Pandora going...
P.S. Don't like seeing Obama on your website.

Sorry, but it really bothers me to hear somebody to say "...and those 20 no less so". Well, you obviously made them feel less so in a very real way. Clearly you felt they were redundant. Spare us the crocodile tears. It would have been better if you just acted like a cold-hearted CEO only concerned with increasing profits .25 cents share. If the outlook was so bright, why did you not keep them on?

I'll tune back in when I hear that they have been rehired. I wonder if anybody took a salary cut or made to with less to possibly have kept those 20 on a bit longer.

Ps - I am totally unaffiliated with either Pandora's management or those cruelly let go. I just don't like layoffs.

Hi,

I just want to say that I really love this type of music websites! I love how you can just put your fave song on the create a new radio station thing and music like it apear and you can listen to types of music that you like.

Thanx to all pandora workers!
Catalina

So you are hiring? But letting go too?
Well, I will work for pt if you wish.
I have little to do.
I do think its odd you wish to hire and fire at the same time, unless I read this post wrong.
Cheers, Ssg Sisk.

Man - I agree with everyone else on here. Pandora is excellent. I am totally addicted to it. I hadn't really pursued subscribing to the paid service because the ad version is so unobtrusive. (btw, I've followed at least one of the ads through to a purchase - an HP printer). I think a little more advertising wouldn't hurt the service at all. And if subscribing would ensure your continued success, I'll do that too.

I've made a list of my favorite (previously unfamiliar) songs and I purchase several every couple of weeks to build up my personal library. If I can't get connected to Pandora (like in my truck) I've got them on CD. My list is up to 329 songs that I'd like to buy. I've purchase 50 or so of my favorites so far. Do you make any revenue from song purchases if I use the link on your site?

One last note, keep up the good work. You've got a fantastic product, and word will spread. Free enterprise will weed out the underperformers and retain the winners. You guys are winners.

Joe in Maryland

(Oh, and one suggestion that I've been thinking about. The music genome should include something about the emotional attributes of each song, in addition to the excellent musical attributes. And maybe you could use your listeners to add attributes somehow, make a music wiki or something.)

What, you didn't make enough money from your Obama ads to keep those 20 people on...

say it ai'n so!!! I heard an ugly rumor the other day that PANDORA was shutting down,what can I do to keep this from happening? I just found out about PANDORA a few weeks ago and I love it and tell everyone I know about it. Also, what is the advantage of buying a subscription to PANDORA, how do I and how much? Please keep PANDORA alive!

First time I have ever posted a comment to a blog. ( apologies in advance for any indescretions )

Seems to me that Pandora is what many of us always dreamed a radio station should be. Congratulations on creating this. It is incredible and I certainly try to bring you more listeners every week.

I saw the NYT article regarding Pandora and realize that the model is a bit shaky. So how do you shore up the model to ensure long range success?

Money does make the world run, so let us, the listeners know what we should be prepared to do to make this a profitable venture. Maybe a more ineractive click through program or a small subscription rate. Either seems reasonable to me

It's sad but true. I think we have bigger battles to encounter and to overcome regardless. But, as Terrence McKenna says, we can overcome hate and war and diversity by creating ART through exploring every form to create a better world to live in.

Why is it so difficult to find Middle Eastern music or music that is categorized as world music from other countries such as France, Spain, etc.

hey hey,
I love your stations. I cant tell you how many people i have sold on this great idea. I did have one thought. we were having a birthday party for my 3 year old and realized alot of our stations had fairly vulgar phases. I was wondering if there was a way to place a 'no vulgar' button on to a station. ?. just an idea.

-dee

Tim,

It doesn't appear that you have answered the question that has been asked on here emphatically many times--

-->What can people do to help? What is better for Pandora, listeners buying subscriptions or hearing ads??!?!?!<<--

Let us know. I just found your service today, and it is literally one of the most amazing things I've ever encountered. My wife and I joked it's way too good to be true, and now after Googling around, it appears that may be the case!

Folks, the NYT article being referenced in the comments on this blog is called

"Even if Royalties for Web Radio Fall, Revenue Remains Elusive" By CLAIRE CAIN MILLER
Published: October 26, 2008

And here is a link
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/27/technology/internet/27radio.html?emc=eta1

There is also an article in The Mercury News:

"Lid May Be Closing On Pandora" By Janis Mara
Article Launched: 11/06/2008

Link Here:
http://www.mercurynews.com/music/ci_10921273

Tim, it seems your customers (this one included) are very passionate, why not tap into that and let us know

How. Do. We. Help?

So sad that any employee had to lose their jobs and yes times are hard and oh so tight but things can and will get better. i believe in speaking things into existence, if I could just get enough people to ride this belief then things could possibly happen faster. One thought, ride with me

I just discovered Pandora in the last 2 weeks, and a number of people I know are just discovering it now. If you need to enhance your revenues to keep it going, it would be worth it to me to pay to keep Pandora going. There could be lots of ways to structure it, I think.

Thanks for continued feedback, everyone.

In response to the concerns about Pandora's future, and what you can do. Let me first say that I am VERY optimistic that we're going to resolve this. We're not done, but we're very close. So for now, sit tight. We'll definitely let you know if/when we need your help. Believe me - we know how powerful our users are. It's thanks to you that we're going to beat this thing.

So stay tuned...

Cheers. Tim

Tim,

I'm sorry to hear about you employees. As an employer I fully understand the anguish. I wish you guys all the success you deserve for your had work.
I've been a listener for over a year now and I think you service is great an arguably the best on the net. Please keep persevering.

All the best, Greg

I will pay for Pandora so that Pandora can survive.

And I am not alone.

TELL US HOW.

Thanks for the question, Kim.
Here's how to subscribe to ad-free Pandora for $36 a year: http://blog.pandora.com/faq/#489

Thanks for listening!

:) Lucia

my heart goes out to everyone at pandora,
you all have taken the time to answer all my questions, turned me on too so many new styles of music, and above all you have all been friends. Though we haven't ever meet you have all made me feel special, morethan just a listener..

Sorry to hear about the hardship, going through the same thing as an employee myself. It sucks, but we will all get through it hopefully sooner rather than later! How much longer until Pandora is available for the LG Dare? Hopefully soon!!