Q&A – Negative White's Comeback

Some days have passed since Negative White's return. Here, we try to answer some of the most urgent questions you might have about the comeback.

And if you're curious about some other things, just leave a comment, and we'll answer your questions right away.

Negative White folded in 2020. Why is it coming back?

During the decade from 2010 to 2020, Negative White expanded from a modest two-person endeavour into a substantial organisation. At its peak, approximately 30 volunteers were involved in the reporting process.

While the growth greatly enhanced its reputation, it also necessitated an immense amount of work that I struggled to manage and sustain.

As time passed, it became clear that my passion for writing about music is still here. Simultaneously, numerous people expressed their longing for the Weekly5 song recommendations.

This inspired me to revive Negative White with a renewed and in-depth focus on music. Rather than establishing a new brand, I opted to revive Negative White with the same exacting standards of quality, albeit on a smaller scale.

Why are you writing in English?

Yes, it's a bold move. I confidently chose to relaunch Weekly5 in English to expand my reach and showcase emerging Swiss artists globally. I hope this will enhance the impact of my curation efforts.

Moreover, within small Switzerland, we have four national languages. Shamefully I have to say that my French is substandard by the most basic means. Therefore, English is the most reasonable common denominator for a platform reporting on talented musicians and bands.

What content can I expect?

Weekly5 remains a crucial aspect of Negative White's content, but the brand also allows me to explore various formats and engage in more storytelling. I aim to consistently publish more comprehensive stories, such as essays, features, interviews, portraits, and, occasionally, concert reviews. In addition, I strive to delve deeper into these stories and address societal themes beyond the surface level.

One category that can be considered an exception to the norm is the «Noteworthy» section. It features brief updates related to the music industry.

Why do I have to pay to access certain content?

It costs quite some money to run a platform like Negative White: Technical infrastructure, software tools, and other materials are required. It all adds up to approximately 1000 Dollars per year. The subscriptions help to sustain those recurring costs.

At least in Switzerland, written music journalism is primarily done by volunteers passionate about music. These platforms are fueled by nothing but their motivation while still serving an essential purpose: Giving exposure to the creative musical landscape.

But because of the volunteer nature of these platforms, they are likely to fade away quickly should motivation run out or the editors cannot spend money on them. So our subscriptions also contribute to a more sustainable effort.

So are you guys a profit-driven organisation?

No, far from it. The memberships are here to cover the running costs for Negative White—it's pretty far-fetched to assume we could pay fair wages from that. We contribute our time voluntarily.

We deliberately made the paid subscriptions as affordable as possible while maintaining a realistic goal of how many subscriptions we need to cover the costs.

Based on these prices, we can calculate the number of subscriptions needed to cover our annual operating expenses of $1000. We would need 100 yearly subscriptions for Weekly5 or just 18 for Premium.

Our goal is to constantly improve Negative White's content and user experience, and we are committed to investing the subscription income directly into achieving that objective once it surpasses the cost.

Are you looking for contributors?

Yes. If you are a writer or photographer, passionate about music, and show high intrinsic motivation and self-leadership, reach out to us here.

I'm a musician or promoter. How can I reach you?

Check out our contact page to get the correct email address.