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2004-09-13 Home Front: Culture Wars
BREAKING NEWS: Blogs Don't Make Alot of Money
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Posted by Chris W. 2004-09-13 9:50:07 AM|| || Front Page|| [4 views since 2007-05-07]  Top

#1 
I've had only one offer to buy Rantburg, from a company in the UAE. They wanted to "incorporate it into their web portal."

Interesting. For some reason I interpret that to mean "make it go away".
Posted by Robert Crawford  2004-09-13 12:01:21 PM|| [http://www.kloognome.com/]  2004-09-13 12:01:21 PM|| Front Page Top

#2 I'm reading this and wondering if the author has ever conceived of people having hobbies.

You know, like plastic model airplanes or something?
Posted by Phil Fraering 2004-09-13 12:02:46 PM|| [http://newsfromthefridge.typepad.com]  2004-09-13 12:02:46 PM|| Front Page Top

#3 the problem with the blogosphere is that we do this stuff for FUN!

Bwaahhaaaa! Read it and weep - LSM.

Off to hit Fred's tip jar. I'm long overdue.
Posted by Anonymous6417 2004-09-13 12:07:14 PM||   2004-09-13 12:07:14 PM|| Front Page Top

#4 I'd always wanted to ask the questions you just answered, but I hate dealing with ticky tacky matters like money.
Posted by Shipman 2004-09-13 1:46:07 PM||   2004-09-13 1:46:07 PM|| Front Page Top

#5 I've read your comment, Fred, and, given my vast journalistic experience, I believe there is an oportunity for us to work together. As I will soon have additional time to devote to informing the public, I am seeking new venues from which to utilize my talents, and I can think of no better place to do so than Rantburg. Therefore, I am interested in acquiring Rantburg for a very attractive price. I can assure you that all discussions will remain confidential. I have never betrayed a confidential source.
Posted by Dan Rather 2004-09-13 2:03:58 PM||   2004-09-13 2:03:58 PM|| Front Page Top

#6 Who here would pay for links to snippets of expert, informed opinion? Who would provide same if he could be paid small sums for same?

Am thinking of an online info exchange in which price of info is determined by a market of bloggers who scan abstracts of the info and credentials offered by a universe of experts providing info on (florida election law)(proportional spacing)(dan rather's daughter's political activities in Austin TX)(the situation in Fallujah)etc etc. The goal is to link media sources of info with the bloggosphere's experts and to use the price mechanism to assign value to the info/opinions/expertise on offer.

For ex, take Charles J of LGF's remarks re the fonts, superscript etc: He would "offer" this to the exchange rather than LGF with an opening offer price of, say, $1,000. Publishers of all kinds-- AP or CBS or whoever (Rantburg?? Rove? WKRP in Cincinatti, whoever) could come to the exchange, check out a two-line abstract containing the subject matter, the causal argument, and Charles' relevant credentials. Publishers would then "bid" for access to the full info and to the provider's contact info, and the iterative process of bid/ask would eventually result in a fair market price.

Scams would be minimized by forcing all the "experts" offering info to disclose their credentials, emails, phone numbers to prospective buyers of the info prior to settlement of the trade, which would be announced to all participants as "Pending." If other prospective buyers see lots of "Pending" trades that fail to settle, they will likely conclude that the offerors' credentials and/or info is bogus, and the price of his proffered info will sink faster than Kmart.

Settlement would be by pay pal and transfer would consist of the full link, plus Charles J's contact info, being provided to the buyer. Any thoughts from Rantburgers are welcome-- email me.

-TPM
Posted by lex  2004-09-13 2:23:31 PM||   2004-09-13 2:23:31 PM|| Front Page Top

#7 Blogs Don’t Make Alot of Money

Other than Glenn and Sully.
Posted by Chuck Simmins  2004-09-13 2:51:53 PM|| [http://blog.simmins.org]  2004-09-13 2:51:53 PM|| Front Page Top

#8 If you want to make a small fortune on Rantburg, start with a big one. Heh heh. People do not realize that weblogs are a work of dedication by their owners. I think that the neat thing is that people hit paypal and keep the RB site operational without being told. It is almost a financially self maintaining unit.
Posted by Alaska Paul 2004-09-13 3:12:54 PM||   2004-09-13 3:12:54 PM|| Front Page Top

#9 pay me (and the editors) fat salaries

Ready, willing and able. Well, ready and willing at any rate.
Posted by Steve  2004-09-13 4:05:13 PM||   2004-09-13 4:05:13 PM|| Front Page Top

#10 I suppose the Saudis would pay up big time for NOT posting...LOL
Posted by True German Ally 2004-09-13 9:11:27 PM||   2004-09-13 9:11:27 PM|| Front Page Top

#11 My thought for the day is;

Perhaps the most important issue that the MSM fails to understand is"People ie. bloggers and commenters have the arrogance to publish their own thoughts, observations, and conclusions outside of the money stream which supports the old guard".
Posted by dorf 2004-09-13 9:19:00 PM||   2004-09-13 9:19:00 PM|| Front Page Top

#12 Okay, I'll take $1,000 a month each from the Saudis and Iranians to not post comments about my strong desire to use nukes in the region, and I'll give half to Fred.
Posted by Tom 2004-09-13 9:21:18 PM||   2004-09-13 9:21:18 PM|| Front Page Top

#13 Chris, I think you may be a bit doomed on this one. Bloggers don't pull their punches, making their posts too dangerous to take in-house if you're a corporate pogue. If some company did buy you out, they'd have to institute content control, thus killing the material.

Though I suppose they could just hang Rantburg off to the side of their portal, a kind of semi-supervised playground like Slate's Fray.

Still loses something in the translation, I think.
Posted by Mister Write 2004-09-13 9:26:36 PM||   2004-09-13 9:26:36 PM|| Front Page Top

#14 I've been thinking that Rantburg might have a future in other media, though.

The bloggers at the Northern Alliance have expanded into occasional radio shows. I've been meaning to suggest that I think Fred and the rest of the editorial staff, plus some of the frequent posters around here (OldSpook, for instance, although if I started a longer list I'd be here a while) could do the same.

I think it would be a hell of a lot more interesting and informative than Steve Quayle and company.

Then again, I'm not suggesting this as something to be done more than once or twice a month. This would be a show more for analysis than breaking news.

What do y'all think?
Posted by Phil Fraering 2004-09-13 10:51:33 PM|| [http://newsfromthefridge.typepad.com]  2004-09-13 10:51:33 PM|| Front Page Top

#15 I'd be happy to do it - a lot of people tell me I've got a face meant for radio
Posted by Frank G  2004-09-13 10:55:48 PM||   2004-09-13 10:55:48 PM|| Front Page Top

#16 I donated lol hope that helps, And I stand for what "Rantburg" Means So If U Believe and rant then contribute May be blogs might get powerful if enough like minded people take a stand from the pocketbook of empowerment.. not saying that posting to blogs is empowerment but it shore feels good
Posted by SCpatriot 2004-09-13 10:56:35 PM||   2004-09-13 10:56:35 PM|| Front Page Top

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