I’d like to share with you an update on the scam I brought to your attention a few weeks ago – namely the offer of a TV interview that turned out to have a $999 price tag for ‘airtime fees’.
Well, this week I recieved an email, sent via the contact form on this very blog, purportedly from the host of the interview programme I’d previously been invited to take part in. Here it is, in full:
Hi Deborah,
Hope this message finds you well.
My name is Logan Crawford and I am the host of “Spotlight with Logan Crawford.” It airs in The Spotlight Network.
Our tagline is… “Created for creators.“ We’ve evolved into what is largely a TV show focused on independent and self published authors, writers, and poets.
It’s a sponsored content opportunity – and you’ll find sponsored content opportunities in many places including Forbes Magazine, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, and even the New York Times. The Times calls “custom content.” And their prices are prohibitively expensive for all but top corporations and well healed individuals.
Sponsored content means you essentially pay for airtime or publication. It’s an extremely effective marketing tool that’s embraced by Top Corporations and even some celebrities.
If you think about it, almost all media coverage is paid for. Who gets the most exposure? Who gets covered by the Tiday Show? It’s those who can afford expensive public relations and marketing firms.
I believe the Spotlight Network – which streams on all major social media platforms and Roku – is a wonderful, affordable way for independent and self published authors, to get their stories out there.
In addition to streaming on our network, the authors also receive a digital file of the interview so they can distribute it on their social media, and include it with their queries and communications to publishers.
So it’s a win-win, in my opinion, for authors, they have a wonderful time on my show and they have powerful marketing tool: an interview with one of the best interviewers in the business – (in my humble opinion of course:).
Not all of our content is sponsored content, we also feature original content.
And I personally would like to invite you to be a guest on my show. This is not a sponsored content opportunity, just an opportunity to talk with me as my guest on Spotlight about your work as an author, and your work to help other writers get ahead in this highly competitive field.
If you accept this opportunity, I will send you out a scheduling link so you can choose a time and date to do the interview.
Here is my personal email so you have it for your reply… It is logancrawford@gmail.com.
Thanks so much!
All the best,
Logan Crawford
How confusing is that?
First, he says ‘It’s a sponsored content opportunity‘, and ‘Sponsored content means you essentially pay for airtime or publication.’
Also, it ‘is a wonderful, affordable way for independent and self published authors, to get their stories out there.’
And then, towards the end he says: ‘This is not a sponsored content opportunity, just an opportunity to talk with me as my guest on Spotlight…’
Well which is it???
Or am I reading this wrong?
I will admit, if I hadn’t gone through the whole phone call episode, I might be tempted to reply, asking for clarification, but somehow I don’t think I can be bothered…
What do you think?
deborahjay 
These people will stop at nothing to get our money. Good for you, Deborah ❤
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They certainly back up my distrust and dislike of a fair chunk of the human race 😔. Two days ago my personal Facebook profile was cloned, taking yet more wasted time to seek out, report, and warn my friends to ignore it. Why do they do it? I just don’t get it 🤔 🙄
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It’s a mystery to me, too. At least you found it out and warned people off. Bless you, and have a wonderful weekend, my friend. ❤
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Thanks for the warning, Deborah. It sounds good, but I just don’t trust these things either. It’s sad that there are so many scammers out there, and that its so lucrative. Fortunately, we can research a lot of these opportunities before going any further.
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One thing to be grateful to the Internet for!
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It is well-written and I appreciate he fesses up to the ‘sponsored content’ gig. Right there, I’d push delete. So often, there is no tail to these ‘opportunities’.
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As I already know the $999 price tag for airtime, ‘delete’ was my first reaction, but I thought I’d share first. Then I deleted it 😁
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I’m glad you did! Another efriend author was contacted by him and I gave her this link. I appreciate you did all the work on vetting this.
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I am going on the assumption that they haven’t reduced the fee, but I see no reason why they should, as it’s the only place for them to make money!
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Typical soft/hard sell and disgusting. I have just said goodbye to my publisher after four years of lies, lies, and more lies. Fortunately, due to winning a writing competition with them, I have not spent a penny, unlike colleagues who have spent thousands just to look at their work on the website or Amazon at inflated prices with royalty cheques you could not buy a coffee with. Spotlight has not contacted me again but if they do as Jacqui said, ‘delete’. Thank you for the heads up.
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Happy to get this out there, hopefully to help a few people avoid it.
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It is well-written and I appreciate he fesses up to the ‘sponsored content’ gig. Right there, I’d push delete. So often, there is no tail to these ‘opportunities’.
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If you go back to my previous post about this, you’ll see why I didn’t look into this any further. I already said “No” when the telesales lady called about the same ‘opportunity’ and I drilled down to the reality of the ‘offer’.
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It is a bunch of hooey, through and through, and to me, it shows. He’s trying way too hard. As for well-written, perhaps compared to some spam that comes around, but I’m suspicious of anyone who describes a wealthy person as “well-HEALED.” (Huh? Was the guy sick, first?) I’m so glad you are as gullible as lots of folks out there, Debby. I hate to imagine how many writers he’s lured in with this spiel. *sigh*
Thanks for sharing, so we can all be on the lookout for THIS one, anyway.
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🤣🤣🤣 I missed the ‘well-healed’ comment 🤦♀️. Well spotted!
Somehow I doubt this was actually written by the man himself, I’m thinking his name has been attached to it as a hook (have you heard of him?), as that’s how it was being used in the original phone call that kicked my whole investigation off.
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Sorry, I don’t recognize the name, but having someone do all of this using someone else’s name is even worse! 😠
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Yup, that was my take on it too. He’s the front man, the interviewer, it seems to be the TV company itself that’s trying to pull us in. Well I’m not interested, and I already told them so on the phone, which made it even more of a surprise to recieve this email via my blog contact form.
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Oooops. Sorry I have a typo. I meant to say you AREN’T as gullible as lots of folks out there. 🙄
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Definitely bogus. Very ‘grey’, he asks to be his guest, but then what a great opportunity for you to pay for the airtime. Buh bye!!! 😦 x
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Exactly my feeling about it 👍. It’s just a shame more eager, trusting newbies may well get caught out 😔
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That’s the way of our world now – scamming for a buck 😦
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A sad world we live in 😦
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You said it. 😦
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Just received a call from them today 3-8-23. Yes it’s still $999. Glad I looked it up and found your information here.
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So glad you did too! The more we spread the word, the less poor people will get caught out 👍
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