A reader writes to share one of many reasons why he doesn't publish a personal weblog: I don't want to give others the *right* to know personal information about myself. [Doc Searls]
When I first started considering to Blog, my privacy was one of my major concerns. So I watched... and watched how Blogville and the BlogTrain behaved and acted toward one another. Oh okay, I admit it-- I lurked. I lurked for over two months
3:33:48 PM
John's Quiz
John Robb's Radio Weblog asks: If you had to choose between two product franchises, which one would you own? A. MS Office? B. AIM? and now John's added C. Internet Explorer?
Honestly considering what I know. AIM. Better revenue model.
"There has to be a way for bloggers to have sponsors, make money, share a percentage of that money with the people who build the blogging platforms, fully disclose who's paying whom AND keep their editorial integrity." [Halleys Comment]
I hate to be the one to remind some of my fellow bloggers that not all of us are as flush in the cash department as others. Many of us write for the love of it, not the pay. While I'd like to see blogging pay me for my time. It isn't. My income comes from other places. However the time is coming when I will need to find some revenue in order to justify my writing. Trust me, this has been a subject of a family discussions.
Case in fact with full disclosure:
For years I've run major professional forums on CompuServe. The pay was never great especially when H&R Block owned CIS. But a little over two years ago when AOL took over they stopped paying us all together. That's right AOL pays me NOTHING. And the idea of CompuServe paying for any Business Partner to attend a necessary forum related conference or meeting was and is completely out of the question. Therefore, if I don't have the cash either a. I don't go, or b. the company wanting my time pays my travel expenses. There are no other options.
It is a well known fact I have disclosed to my readers and forum members, that I have accepted and will continue to accept NFR products for review or if I am consulting for a client or vendor. Experience taught me to never review a demo product. To further disclose, I've also accepted meals, show tickets, company and show trinkets, and a few limo rides so I could get from one end of town to another in order to get to another meeting or demo. I have absolutely no regrets for accepting any of these things. I've personally busted my tail to give my forums the best and latest information I could afford to give. I've never accepted a dime and my net worth shows it.
For those of you who need to know, my remaining personal income comes from my consulting and editing business, which has been hit hard since 9/11, family businesses, and Doug's income practicing pharmacy. Other than that the only major industry-related volunteer effort I am working with is the AOTC and I sit on the Board of Directors.
All this flack about whether Doc, Chris or other bloggers took a trip on Microsoft to see the new toys at Möbius 2000, is in my opinion not worth breaking a sweat. I personally know Doc well enough to know he couldn't be bribed. Chris appears to be made of the same stuff. That is good enough for me.
"In truth, Gonzo Marketing covers the "how blogs might make money" thing in detail. I don't think taking money from sponsors would ruin the integrity of blogs. The company we keep here in Blogaria keeps us honest enough, whether we like it or not. We sniff out coverups as fast as any conspiracy theorist. And, generally speaking, the types of sponsors we should go after should be complementary to our blogging, but not necessarily related to our blog's theme..." [allied blogspot - Jeneane Sessum]
Jeneane is right. While we may not be professional journalists or professional blogists, most of the citizens of Bloggville won't put up with a shill. We can smell a shill like a dead rat upwind in August.
Doc's Blog are his personal opinions and not part of his job as a journalist with LJ. The other blogs are the respective responsiblity of their owners. Doc doesn't need to "qualify" everything he blogs, as he might in Linux Journal. Think of Doc's Blog as: Doc Without a Firewall-- and be damn thankful he shares his opinions with us! Many writers (and I could insert a l-o-n-g list here,) would want to charge $erious money for their opinions. So if Doc feels the need to qualify or disclose something, it's his call and no one else's. Many of us here in Blogville wouldn't be where we are without his honest friendship and occasional favor. Some people need to remember that has also lead to their success.
