Join the TPOK Network

TPOK Educational Network is a collaborative endeavour. Our goal is to become a go-to resource for sexual information, especially as it relates to alternative sexualities.

We would like to develop a network of affiliated content providers providing audio, visual and written information covering a variety of aspects of being a sexual being.

  • BDSM and Kink activities
  • Alternative relationship structures (Poly, swinging, open not otherwise described)
  • Perspectives and challenges of different marginalised groups (LGBTQ, POC, TNG)
  • Legal challenges
  • Ethical questions
  • General sexual health

Additionally, we would like to resume hosting educational seminars, both for community members, as well as for professionals who may encounter alternative lifestyles in the course of their business. It would be a great service to our community to reach out to professionals to create more awareness and understanding.

In order to accomplish these goals, we need you. We need your knowledge, your expertise, your skills and voices.

Below are some FAQs. If they do not answer your questions, please get in touch with us. You could email tpoknetwork[@]gmail.com with your questions, or join the forum and message Camille Beaujolie there.

Speaking of the forum, there is an area that is set aside just for Affiliated Content Providers.

FAQ General

Why should I join?

This is probably the hardest question to answer … What does TPOK have to offer?

  1. Name recognition – TPOK has been around since 2012 in one form or another and from its earliest days, its focus was to destigmatize sexuality.
  2. Promotion – The network will have its own social media accounts. Everything that is posted here (audio archives and blog postings) will be automatically shared over those networks. It will take some time to get the follower numbers up, but we can all promote the network accounts to drive our current follows/audience to them.
  3. More promotion – One of the future enhancements that we will be making (this requires capital) will be to register for a social media management account. Camille currently uses HootSuite. The free account allows her to schedule posts to three social media accounts. When the network can afford it, we will look into a broader package that will allow for tweeting and facebooking and pinning of everything that is posted to tpok.network. We can schedule new posts for different time zones, etc.
  4. Even more promotion – Wish list item: live tweeting of the live shows and new podcast episodes. Extract quotes and tweet them in real time on the tpok network twitter account.
  5. Semi-Monthly Digest – When we launch the site, we will be allowing people to register for our monthly digest. It isn’t a full-blown newsletter, but it will include a short description of everything that has been posted (audio and written) on the site during the month, with a link. When new shows, blogs or educators join us, we will include a short bio with a link to the applicable page on this site. The digest will go out on the 15th and last day of the month.
  6. Community – that word sounds nicer than “Collaboration”, but that’s what we want to build … a community of content providers, sexuality educators, collaborators. We are hoping that the forum will become a hub and problem-solving centre while it also serves as a place where people can interact with hosts and writers. Eventually, we will have a section where people can ask sexuality questions and there will be many of us who can provide answers (our own version of Quora). There is an upvote/downvote function on the forum, but we have disabled it because we don’t want to replicate the K&P of FetLife.
  7. Solutions – In addition to the sense of community that we are hoping to build, we will also be able to brainstorm and troubleshoot. We’re sure that there isn’t much that we, together, can’t tackle or haven’t experienced.
  8. Potential Profits – Okay, this one may be a pipe dream, but I do believe that there is potential in the TPOK brand, especially if we move beyond the narrow focus of kink. If this becomes a profitable enterprise, we will find some way to equitably share the profits with those who helped build it. Most likely, this will be through giving profit-sharing shares based on content provided. The more content you provide, the more shares you have. While the shares have no actual value, when we declare dividends, the funds will be split by the total number of shares. As this plan comes together, the details will be posted in the Content Providers section of the forum.
  9. Access to potential guests/interview subjects – whether you are making a show or a blog, you need a topic. If the educator directory takes off, we will have a nice list of people who are knowledgeable in various areas of sexuality. (Note: this will be open to anyone who is teaching about sex and sexuality). Also, fellow hosts and bloggers are great people to interview too!

Who owns the content?

You. As an Affiliated Content Provider, you maintain 100% ownership of your work.

Should you decide to leave us at some point, you are free to take your work with you. However, we will continue to host the content you produced while you were with us and provide a link to your new home for people who wish to continue to follow you.

NOTE:

There may be some aspects of your work that do not belong to you. They are as follows:

  1. The TPOK brand is the intellectual property of TPOK Educational Network Inc. and Brooklyn Vennell. Should you leave the network, you will need to stop using the TPOK Radio (or equivalent) on your logo or site.
  2. If TPOK created the introduction for your show, the music is licenced under a subscriber program that allows us unlimited use while we are subscribers. If you leave the network, you will no longer be a subscriber (since it is licenced to the network). You will need to create a new introduction for your podcast/show.

Both of these points refer to future use. You do not need to go back to your past work and remove the licenced content. You agree to cease using it in any future product you produce.

Can I have my own website too?

Most definitely! Camille has a site for her show Stereo-Typed.

If you maintain your own site, we cannot pick up the hosting costs (at this time). Maybe we will be able to do this some day, but it is currently not an option.

We ask that you include a graphic on your site (on the sidebar or footer) that indicates that you are a member of the TPOK Educational Network. Artwork can be provided upon request. You should link the graphic back to the landing page for the network (i.e. http://www.tpok.network).

Do I have to put a disclaimer on my work?

Sadly, yes.  We are a network of affiliates and we may not always agree. Also with live broadcasts and guests, we have no control over what someone might say on air. While a disclaimer isn’t absolute protection, it does give us allow us to be a step or two removed.

For podcasts and live shows, this will be run at the beginning of your show. Below is a sample from Stereo-Typed.



For bloggers, a disclaimer will be added to your starbox, so you won’t have to worry about including it.

Camille Beaujolie
Follow me

Camille Beaujolie

Grand Poobah at TPOK Educational Network Inc.
Host of Stereo-Typed and Fetish Philes. The one who tries to keep this all together.
Camille Beaujolie
Follow me

Latest posts by Camille Beaujolie

If I join TPOK, can I also join other networks?

Absolutely!

Our goal is to make education accessible. It goes against that goal to restrict when and where you can post your content or advertise your services.

However, that being said, we ask that if you do post elsewhere, that you do not remove the commercials (especially the Title Sponsor) and TPOK branding from your archives and/or blog posts.

If you join other networks (for example, if your show is about alternative relationships and you wish to also join a network dedicated to relationships), we ask that you include a statement to the effect of “A member of the TPOK Educational Network” on your blog posts or website with a link back to this site. We can provide a visual that can be added to your page.

Can I monetize my site or show?

Yes. I’m easy that way. There are some guidelines, however.

Advertising is the primary source of income for TPOK Educational Network (at least until we get the seminars going).

If you have a patreon page (or similar crowd funding), let us know the link and we will include it on your show profile.

Eventually, there will be a patreon page for the entire network. When this is launched, the revenue earned will first be allocated to operating expenses (and we may be able to assume the cost of individual websites). After that, there will be a profit-sharing plan that will split the profits based on the amount of content you provide (there will be limits in place). Details for this will be shared in the Content Provider section of the forum.

I will address this question in more detail in the FAQ for the type of content you are providing.

How does TPOK Educational Network make money?

Currently, our sole source of income is advertising. We have a Title Sponsor for our live shows and podcasts. We will be adding additional advertisers to the site.

We occasionally make quid pro quo arrangements with other companies or organisations who share our goals. While these do not generate any income, they do raise awareness. The more traffic that comes through our site, the greater the likelihood that we can attract more sponsors.

In the future, we will be sponsoring/hosting educational seminars and workshops. These will be additional revenue sources. We will try to keep the admission to community educational events to a minimum, however, seminars for professionals will be priced at whatever the market can bear.

The professional seminars will be available both as a live seminar and as a streaming webinar so that professionals in remote locations or smaller communities can access the educational material.

In addition to hosting seminars, we will be developing an Educator Directory. There will be a small annual fee to be listed. Any income educators generate from their speaking engagements will be theirs (unless they are speaking at a TPOK Educational event, in which case, we will pay them their going rate and any additional profit will be TPOK’s).

How will the network communicate updates/information with me?

Whenever there is a message that needs to go out to all Content Providers, it will be posted in the special area on the forum. When you register as a member on the forum, we will grant you permission to access that area. We suggest that you turn on alerts for that area of the board so you will get an email notification of a new posting.

If we need to get in touch with you personally, we will contact you via email, private message on the forum, or text message, depending on what permission you give us and the length/involvement in the communication.

As much as possible, we would like to turn the forum into our hub of communication. We want to build a community or collaborators and inspiration.

Cross-promotion, Guest appearances, Roundtable discussions

We are a network. So, we like networking and pimping each other out. There are many ways that we can do this.

  1. Collaboration in the forum – feel free to use this feature. It is there for the Content Providers to seek advice, invite other hosts as guests, request a guest host, etc.
  2. Cross-promotion: We encourage Content Providers to work together. Hosts can interview bloggers, bloggers can write reviews of shows/episodes, etc. If a new show is joining the network, feel free to make a mention of them in your show/blog.
  3. Guest Spots: As noted, the more exposure you have on other shows, the more exposure you have! Share your ideas and invite each other to participate on your project.
  4. Live Events: In the past, TPOK Radio broadcast over the live stream for MBE. We would like to continue to do these sorts of events. Some ideas are local events or kink fairs, community dungeons, Pride celebrations. When we do something like this, we will be using the TPOK Live! show to archive the episode. However, you can still advertise your show during the feed, and you can extract portions of the archive to share with your audience. Currently, we are only able to take the portable studio to events in Southern Ontario, maybe into the Niagra Falls/Buffalo area. However, all you really need to broadcast live is a reliable computer and internet connection and a couple of microphones. We can teach you how to set up the Spreaker Console to broadcast live. Keep in mind that if your event conflicts with regularly scheduled shows, we will need to do some negotiation (maybe they can upload a pre-recorded episode, or move their show to another night that week).
  5. Roundtable Discussions: As we grow, this might become a regular feature. We will have a wealth of knowledge and opinions. Again, these will be archived under the TPOK Live! profile, but you can also use the audio on your show or blog.

What is the capital of Assyria?

You can blame Camille’s hubby for this one … Bonus points if you know the reference.

Podcasters

How much does it cost to be a member?

If you are simply producing podcast episodes, there is no cost to you. We can move your episodes over to Spreaker and host them there.

If you have a website for your show, we are not currently in the position to assume the costs of hosting your webpage. This may change someday.

Who pays for the hosting of my audio files?

TPOK Educational Network has a top-tier membership at Spreaker. We have unlimited bandwidth and storage. We will host all of your episodes under a unique show profile.

Can I monetize my podcast?

As noted in the General FAQs, Advertising is our main source of revenue at TPOK (okay, it is currently the only source).

We have a Title Sponsor for TPOK Radio. They pay for the bulk of the hosting costs. So, we think it is a good idea to mention how much we love them.

How we do thins is dependent on the length of your episodes.

If you have a short show (30 minutes per episode), we ask that you include them in your introduction. So, something like:

“This episode of My Podcast is brought to you by The Title Sponsor. Please visit their site at titlesponsor.com. Oh yeah, and when you do, you’ll get a 10% discount when you use PROMOCODE”

For longer shows (60 or 90 minutes), we ask that you insert a commercial break. The break includes two commercials (minimum):

  1. Title Sponsor spot
  2. TPOK Network promo

New promos and commercials will be posted in the forum and will also be uploaded to Camille’s Spreaker page. You can download the audio files there to include in your show.

We also have other promos that you could include. We will be using them in our live shows, to ensure that we meet our obligation for the number of plays, etc, but you may want to include them in your shows too.

Beyond that, you can arrange for advertising for your show and/or website. We will be arranging for advertising on this site. If your advertiser would also like to advertise with us, that will be a separate agreement.

Do I have to change software?

Nope. If you are happy using what you have, you can continue to record and produce your audio the way you have been. Finished audio files can be uploaded directly to the web via a browser, or through the Spreaker application.

If you would like to take advantage of the live show option, you will need to do so through the Spreaker application (or, the producer of the episode will need to be using it). For more information about the Live shows, click on the next tab.

How do I indicate that my podcast is part of the network?

This depends on the length of your episodes.

For all networked shows, we will produce a stinger. In the live shows, this is used as a station identification and plays at 15-minute intervals (approximately). For pre-recorded podcasts, we ask that it be inserted at the beginning of your episodes, before your intro.


For longer episodes, we ask that you play the stinger (as described above) and include one of the network commercials in your commercial break.

How many episodes do I have to produce a month?

That is entirely up to you. We would prefer that you are producing a show at least every other week, but we also know that life happens, and sometimes the show just can’t go on.

If you are expecting a prolonged period of absence, you could reach out to the other content providers and see if we can work out a “guest host” spot on your show. That means it will continue to have new content on your iTunes feed, and it might introduce your audience to other shows.

Also, you could probably return the favour sometime. Cross-promoting, for the win!

The key is to have a consistent stream of content, both on the network, and on the individual shows.

What if I already have an archive and iTunes feed?

Great! That means you also have an RSS feed. This makes moving your episodes to the Spreaker network that much easier. It might take a couple of days before the changes are reflected on iTunes.

We don’t recommend that you cancel your hosting until after we know that everything is loaded and working well on our end. I don’t know how much you are paying for your hosting, but this should save you a couple of bucks.

I have advertisements in my past episodes, do I have to remove them?

No!

My goodness, that would be a lot of work! Can you imagine if someone insisted that we remove the ads from our archives? We already have over 400 episodes!

Going forward, we will add the ads for the TPK sponsors. We have no requirement that these be added retroactively (I have heard that some networks require this?)

Why are your episodes marked as explicit?

By default, we mark our episodes as explicit. Since we are talking about sexuality (and sometimes in great detail), it is safer to do so. Also, this means we don’t have to warn people before the show about their language, etc.

Can I do live shows?

If you would like to do an occasional live show (under your podcast name), that can be arranged, subject to scheduling with other shows and the availability of a producer.

As a member of the network, you will also have the opportunity to participate in TPOK Live! event appearances and roundtable discussions.

Can I write blog posts too?

You most certainly can. If you would like to post promotional material, show notes, opinion pieces, we can set you up as a blogger. Check out the blogger tab for more information.

Live Shows

How do the live shows work?

We use Spreaker for our broadcasting, hosting and storage.

For the live shows, it is as simple as selecting “Go Live” in the Spreaker Console.

Initially, someone from the TPOK Network will produce the shows and you will connect with the virtual studio via Skype. The producer won’t appear on your show, but you will get cues from them when it is time for a station ID or commercial break.

During the station ID (which is 15 seconds), your mic will be live, so try not to talk! However, during the longer commercial break, you will be muted to the audience. You can talk freely with the producer and/or your guest without being heard by the audience.

Of yeah, guests … they connect to the virtual studio via Skype as well.

Who pays for the hosting of my audio files?

All of the live shows are archived as a podcast episode and submitted to iTunes. Once this is setup, it will be an automagic process.

TPOK Educational Network has a top-tier membership at Spreaker. We have unlimited bandwidth and storage. We will host all of your episodes under a unique show profile.

How much does it cost to be a member?

There is no cost to you for the archiving and storage of your live show episodes.

If you have a website for your show, we are not currently in the position to assume the costs of hosting your web page. This may change someday.

How will my show be monetized?

As noted in the General FAQs, Advertising is our main source of revenue at TPOK (okay, it is currently the only source).

We have a Title Sponsor for TPOK Radio. They pay for the bulk of the hosting costs. So, we think it is a good idea to mention how much we love them.

We run commercials on all of the live shows. At a minimum, there will be a spot for the Title Sponsor and one for the network. However, from time to time there may be other agreements in place.

If a commercial doesn’t make sense for your audience (for example your show is about general sexual health), we probably won’t run ads for kink-related services. Or, we won’t run them every time.

We do ask that you mention the Title Sponsor at the top of your show. Something like:

“This episode of My Podcast is brought to you by The Title Sponsor. Please visit their site at titlesponsor.com. Oh yeah, and when you do, you’ll get a 10% discount when you use PROMOCODE”

Generally speaking, you can expect a 2-3 minute break at the half-hour mark (if yu have a 90-minute show, there will be two breaks).

Beyond the advertising we arrange, you can seek advertisers for your show and/or website. Maybe a local shop would like to advertise, or there is an event that you would like to highlight. You can include these in your commercial break, but your producer will need complete audio files for these specialised spots. We will not be creating the advertising for you.

If your advertiser would also like to advertise with us, that will be a separate agreement between TPOK and the advertiser.

How many episodes do I have to do a month?

For live shows, we would like to air at a minimum of every other week (biweekly/fortnightly).

Live shows are either 60 minutes or 90 minutes, though we could occasionally do longer special episodes.

We do understand that sometimes life gets in the way, so if a regularly scheduled show needs to be cancelled, that is okay. However, if you are expecting a prolonged period of absence, we suggest that you reach out to the other content providers and see if we can work out a “guest host” spot on your show. That means it will continue to have new content on your iTunes feed, and it might introduce your audience to other shows.

Also, you could probably return the favour sometime. Cross-promoting, for the win!

The key is to have a consistent stream of content, both on the network, and on the individual shows.

Who will produce the broadcast?

Initially, your broadcast will be produced by Camille (or another experienced TPOK producer).

Eventually, we would like to have a pool of producers (or self-producers).

The console is quite easy to use and the trickiest part is integrating Skype (a one-time setup).

We plan for this to be a community. We would like to have most of the hosts (if not everyone) trained in producing the live shows. Then we can create a buddy system with the forum as a backup when you need someone (and your regular producer isn’t available).

When will my show be scheduled?

We will work with you to determine the best time for your show. We do have to work around the existing shows.

Currently, there is only one producer, so their schedule will also be a factor.

Can I do pre-recorded episodes?

Absolutely!

We recommend that all live hosts prepare at least one pre-recorded episode that they can keep for a rainy day. But, you can also work pre-recorded shows into your schedule, or if your guest isn’t available for a live airing, you could record the interview and do a live subject intro and outro for the episode.

There is a lot of flexibility, but we would like to see at least one live episode a month for those shows that are considered “live”. Otherwise, you would be more accurately described as a podcast with occasional live appearances.

What do I need to do a live show?

Initially, your show will be produced by Camille (or someone else from TPOK Network). All you will need is:

  • Computer and reliable internet connection (or a smartphone, keep in mind data usage costs though)
  • Microphone
  • Headphones
  • Skype

If you would like to self-produce, you will need to meet the system requirements for the Spreaker Console. You will also need to download the relevant audio files for your show and commercials.

Can I write blog posts too?

You most certainly can. If you would like to post promotional material, show notes, opinion pieces, we can set you up as a blogger. Check out the blogger tab for more information.

Bloggers

How do I submit an article?

Currently, you will need to register as a WordPress user on the site and we will assign permissions that will allow you to post and edit.

We are exploring ways that will allow for frontend user submissions that do not require a user profile. When/if that happens, we will update this answer.

For those who do not wish to register, we can create a generic “Affiliated Content Provider” profile, however, that will not have the benefits of the customised starbox author profile.

Do I have to submit unique articles to TPOK?

No. You can cross-post. Most of Camille’s writings are cross-posted on FetLife and Stereo-Typed.com.

You also don’t have to submit full articles. If you like, you can send us a synopsis of a new blog post with a link to the full article on your site, though we would really love it if you occasionally posted a full article.

How will I be credited?

Your blog posts will be credited to you. We use a “starbox” plugin which can be fully customized with your biographical information, including links to your social media and webpage.

 

This is a sample starbox (for Camille).

Camille Beaujolie
Follow me

Camille Beaujolie

Grand Poobah at TPOK Educational Network Inc.
Host of Stereo-Typed and Fetish Philes. The one who tries to keep this all together.
Camille Beaujolie
Follow me

Latest posts by Camille Beaujolie

What kind of content can I submit?

That’s up to you.

Keep in mind the focus and goal of the network … to reduce stigma and increase education about alternative sexualities. So, sex-positive is something we do expect.

However, if there is something you want to rant about, have at ‘er. You can do that too. If you have thoughts about one of the podcasts or show episodes, share them here!

While you could do product reviews, we would prefer that you post those on your blog, especially if you are participating in an affiliate program.

Can I monetize my blog?

Yes and no.

You can monetize your blog, on your site. However, our main source of revenue for the network is advertising. So, we may be selling advertising space on the pblog pages, etc.

If you want to post a review or recommend a product for which you receive a commission, we ask that you only post a brief summary and direct people back to your website.

However, you are free to register for any affiliate programs or sell advertising space all you want on your linked web page. If you are making product recommendations, we believe that it is ethical to advise your readers that you received the product for review, or receive some other form of compensation.

Educators

The Speaker Directory is still in the planning stages. However, if you are interested, please join the forum and we can brainstorm this into a reality.

What is the Directory all about?

Part of our vision is to be a go-to resource for all things educational (with respect to Alternative Sexualities).

A key component will be a Directory of speakers and educators that can be hired to do seminars and workshops.

The directory will include biographies and/or curriculum vitae of each speaker, as well as course descriptions for each topic they offer.

TPOK will not be involved with booking or scheduling speakers. This will function like a Yellow Pages. People can look up their interests and contact the speakers directly.

What does it cost to be listed?

Okay, this is a paid service.

There will be a small annual fee to list your biography and topic descriptions. When I say small, I mean small.

Initially, we will probably be charging $25 annually to set up a profile. You will be able to add and remove courses, change your details, etc. I will have handy-dandy change request submissions eventually.

Once the directory is up and running, we will probably increase the price for new listings.

TPOK does not take any revenue from your bookings. We also don’t get involved with scheduling or collecting fees.

You will be able to set a price range and determine the terms of your appearances. For example, do you want expenses plus a stipend? Or would you prefer to charge a set price and pay for your own expenses? What geographic areas are you available? etc.

TPOK sponsored events - Kink/Alt-Sex Community

We would like to start doing educational events again. Or, that is the plan.

When we do, we will be looking at our own directory first. That makes sense to us.

For TPOK community events, we can negotiate the terms, just as any other client would. It could be a portion of the ticket sales, or we pay you a speaking fee and the profit is ours.

There is also a possibility that we will offer video training at some point. If that becomes a reality, you will earn a portion of the on-going revenue from your courses. The reason we want to do this is that education should be accessible. Some communities cannot afford to bring in a speaker. Some people prefer to learn on their own. There are many reasons for providing this service.

We haven’t worked out exactly how this will work, yet.

TPOK sponsored events - Professional Community

As noted in our plan, we believe one of the greatest ways we can serve the kink and alternative sexuality community is to provide education to professionals who might encounter us in a professional capacity.

Our plan is to hold half- and full-day seminars/conferences that will allow certain types of professionals to learn about us and earn continuing education credits.

This will require a lot of planning and we will need to submit lesson plans to the respective professional associations. Due to the labour involved in getting something like this off the ground, we will be hiring speakers at their going rates and we will assume all fo the financial obligations for the event.

To ensure that anyone who is interested has access to the education, these events will also be streamed as webinars, allowing individuals and small groups to access the session.

Potentially, the webinar may be archived and registrants can view the content when it is convenient for them. Access to the archived webinar will carry a discounted registration fee.

You will earn an on-going commission for sales of the archived webinars.

Advertisers/Sponsors

If you are interested in advertising on the site or the shows, please contact Camille (tpoknetwork [@] gmail.com). If you wish, you can also join the forum and contact her through the private messaging system.

Advertising opportunities:

Radio Spots: We will need your copy and one of our on-air talents will voice the commercial. We can discuss how many plays the ad will get each month.

Website: We have ad space on the website in the sidebars, footer and within the archive listings.

Event Sponsorship: If you would like to sponsor one of the educational events, we welcome your involvement. We could also arrange for an event in your area.

Live broadcasting: If you have a special event and would like to have us broadcast from your location, that might be possible. Several of our on-air hosts enjoy doing interviews “in the wild”. Contact us and we can discuss the possibilities.

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