BUSINESS WEEK -- Apr 13 -- Meetupmade its reputation when Howard Dean backers used the meeting site to
form local groups. The number of "meetups" has jumped 50% from a year
ago, to more than 2,400 a week. Meetup told
its 2 million members that it's time for their groups to pay up.
Organizers of each Meetup group, of which there are currently 54,000,
are to pay $19 a month, or $9 a month for existing groups. Founder and
CEO Scott Heifermansays he hopes the move will help the 29-person NYC company turn a
profit by yearend. Friendster, with 14 million registered users, hopes
to make money from advertisements and corporate sponsorships. LinkedIn
launched a for-pay service, charging up to $95 a month for job listings
("LinkedIn Expands Its Connections"). As Heiferman says bluntly: "Meetup doesn't deserve to continue if it's not creating value." FULL ARTICLE @ BUSINESS WEEK

Mark Brooks: There are too many dead groups on MeetUp. Charging a nominal fee will ultimately enrich the user experience. Good move.