Re: Daily Dose Answers - Shannon

My website, radio appearances, blogs, etc. HAVE NO COMMERICAL ASPECT TO THEM WHATSOEVER. Note the lack of popups on my site as evidence. No banners, nothing for sale. I don't have the financial pressures many of you do, have a quality college education and nearly 50 years life experience to draw from. I offer my tidbits of advice here and on many other forums relevant to the many and varied interests in my life. If I were truly trying to drive traffic to my site, don't you think I'd update the main page more than every couple years? Maybe offer a cafepress t-shirt link? Or some Amazon affiliate stuff? Puleeze. I only hope that you are better at analyzing YOUR OWN BUISNESS than you are at deconstructing mine.

Since I do enjoy political commentary, I have gone out of my way to make sure that there is no COMMERCIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST in any of my opinions. Of course they're still worth what you pay for them, but you can be sure they're MINE and not the result of a desire for profit. I may be one of the only sites on the net that can truly say that. In the event that I ever do decide to 'commercialize' my site, I will be fully open about any financial ties (unlike say Armstrong Williams et.al).

Enjoy.

> Tim,
> I think it is time you re-read the quote on your own website. All actions
> do have consequences, and we should act carefully considering how our
> actions will affect others and ourselves.

> After reviewing your blogs and website, I question whether you are
> actually concerned about bandwidth, crass commercialism, or whether you
> are just trying to eek out a living, improve your own sphere of influence,
> and drive traffic to your blogs and radio program.

> As for blogs - they are an instant publishing tool. Nothing more or less.
> What we choose to do with them, is up to the individual. Whether an
> audience chooses to read them or buy products from what they read - that
> is called consumer choice. In the journalism world, content is used to
> build audiences, influence the public, and oh- they support their
> existance by selling advertising.

> Despite what my daughter wishes, everything is not free. You cannot get
> anything of value for free - even if there is no charge, there is time,
> energy, and effort involved in being successful - by any definition and in
> any venue.

> Blogs did start out as a charged service and several blog services still
> charge for premium packages. They now see the value in providing the
> service to create content for their ads. Advertising on a blog or
> including an affliate link only works if the audience is willing to
> participate.

> Since you yourself use Blogger, I think you realize this. So, I assume you
> are simply sharing your concern that free services will be yet again
> replaced by fee-for-service. (As for Maw Maw's concern over content - what
> you write is yours unless you specificially assign the rights away.)

> The thing about technology is that it is useful - limited only by one's
> imagination on how it can be used. If it weren't, the Internet, and
> specifically the World Wide Web would still only be used by business and
> universities; we wouldn't be using velcro or any of the other products
> developed for the military and/or space program.

> Personally, I chose to start blogging only with a very target, small
> audience in mind - my family and friends - who were interested in our
> travels and homeschooling adventures. I got very positive response, so I
> made them available publically. Am I sucking bandwidth needlessly? Not if
> others are inspired or find nuggets of useful information.

> I use blogs to communicate thoughts, ideas, and share information. So does
> Maw Maw and most other useful blogs I read. I get a lot out of reading how
> others are using blogs and what they consider important to write about. As
> a writer, I find this valuable insight. Knowing your audience and what
> people are really interested in is critical to communication - as a
> journalist and a radio host, you should know that. But maybe I'm wrong -
> afterall I'm fascinated by how technology can be used to better
> communicate ideas and useful information. Not everyone is.

> I do not wish to be rude - and normally choose not to be. But sometimes
> there is a time and place. Unfounded attacks against a group of people who
> are trying to share information and make a living (like yourself) are not
> welcome (my opinion).