http://www.worldofbadger.co.uk/2005/03/01/newspaper_sites_free_versus_subscription/ Just what the world needs, another blog by a web designer Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:53:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 http://www.worldofbadger.co.uk/2005/03/01/newspaper_sites_free_versus_subscription/comment-page-1/#comment-182 Badger Mon, 25 Apr 2005 11:47:06 +0000 #comment-182 I completely agree. Even the quality papers seem to have more and more inane 'lifestyle' features to appeal the advertisers' target demographics nowadays. How much influence they have over the news content I don't know, but what advertiser wants their product pictured next a disturbing photo of a starving child or article about war atrocities? We're even seeing adverts creeping into personal blogging; with Google AdWords serving up ads based on the page content, will we start to see some bloggers bearing this in mind when they write? That would be a real shame, as to my mind the point of blogs is to enable people to express thoughts and opinions free of the usual commercial constraints. On the other hand, I think quality news reporting is too important to only be available to those with plenty of spare money, so some sort of compromise is inevitable. Sadly we live in an age where if it doesn't move, some marketing genius will try to stick an advert on it. I completely agree. Even the quality papers seem to have more and more inane ‘lifestyle’ features to appeal the advertisers’ target demographics nowadays. How much influence they have over the news content I don’t know, but what advertiser wants their product pictured next a disturbing photo of a starving child or article about war atrocities?
We’re even seeing adverts creeping into personal blogging; with Google AdWords serving up ads based on the page content, will we start to see some bloggers bearing this in mind when they write? That would be a real shame, as to my mind the point of blogs is to enable people to express thoughts and opinions free of the usual commercial constraints.
On the other hand, I think quality news reporting is too important to only be available to those with plenty of spare money, so some sort of compromise is inevitable.
Sadly we live in an age where if it doesn’t move, some marketing genius will try to stick an advert on it.

]]> http://www.worldofbadger.co.uk/2005/03/01/newspaper_sites_free_versus_subscription/comment-page-1/#comment-181 Kathrin Sun, 24 Apr 2005 01:01:39 +0000 #comment-181 Hm, that's an interesting option. I'm doing a paper for my online journalism class on this subject, and yes advertising has definitely been picking up a lot more speed than subscriptions. It's just so sad that media has to be so driven by advertisements. If newspapers depend on advertisers for revenue, (thus forcing papers to write for advertisers and not readers) how will the real news ever be reported? Hm, that’s an interesting option. I’m doing a paper for my online journalism class on this subject, and yes advertising has definitely been picking up a lot more speed than subscriptions. It’s just so sad that media has to be so driven by advertisements. If newspapers depend on advertisers for revenue, (thus forcing papers to write for advertisers and not readers) how will the real news ever be reported?

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