Comments: The Web 2.0: Content Creators Starve While Techies Eat Free Lunches
Great post.
Aubrey
Posted by Aubrey Blumsohn at June 19, 2007 05:08 AM
Phillip,
Thanks for this. Your point that content producers are not paid is terribly alarming. I'm trying to think of a way to help that doesn't involve me being a millionare, oh wait, that's small potatoes today, a billionaire and paying you a salary to produce this page. I have little money and no health insurance, but like you I have several college degrees. There must be some way to fix this. Your blog is excellent even though you're not quite as far to the left as I am. The blog is professionally written and even handed. I've thought before that its f*cked that you're not getting paid for writing it.
So, what to do to generate income, not just for you, but for other causes, but since you asked, for you specifically?
Would it be possible for you to put a paypal link on your site and accept donations? I hope this idea doesn't offend you. Here in Atlanta there's a local restuarant empire that started out as one location, Fellinis. For several years when ordering at Fellinis you did not pay, when your pizza was delivered, you did not pay, when you took a beer out of the cooler, you did not pay. You stoped at the cash register on the way out, told the cashier what you had eaten and drank and he ran you up. If like me, you occaisionaly didn't have the money to pay, you paid the next time you were in. The owners profitted and are still in business though they've done away with that system.
Still, paypal accounts are easy to set up. If only one among your average of 2500 readers a day gave you 2 dollars once a month, you'd be making more money than I do.
(Until I see how well you are doing and start a blog in which my basset hound can recount his antics;).
Good Luck,
Sally
Posted by Sally at June 19, 2007 05:26 AM
I like reading your stuff. I would like it if you got paid for it, but I do like reading it. You seem to be the best health writer for the masses out there.
Posted by susan at June 19, 2007 05:44 AM
Phil! You've had it up to here (holding hand up over head) and won't take it any more! When I think of all the journalists who have missed this opportunity to write for free, it truly breaks my heart.
Posted by Tim Harris at June 19, 2007 07:08 AM
Brilliant.
Utterly.
Posted by Sarah Stieber at June 19, 2007 07:14 AM
Your response to the blog editor was beautiful.
Posted by Polly at June 19, 2007 09:26 AM
I would gladly put up with adsense on your blog.
Setting up paypal accounts is complicated, and requires that each reader who wants to pay set one up.
If you're squeamish, you could even set up two parallel blogs, one with adsense, one without. I personally have, on occasion, found some phenomenal finds with adsense.
Few newspapers survive without advertising, why should you do any different?
Posted by hold the dopeamine antagonists at June 19, 2007 10:44 AM
if you hate web 2.0 so much, why have a blog?
Posted by someone at June 19, 2007 01:58 PM
I think Philip has a blog because he is doing real journalism and is not a blathering idiot like the majority.
Great post Philip.
Posted by Nick at June 19, 2007 06:34 PM
Get the paypal on this site.
One year from now cutting a paycheck from blogging won't just be an idea. It's the new TV replacing radio. It needs time and voices to speak out like yours, to raise awareness.
Great job here, and kudos to saying no to writing for someone else for free when your blog speaks for itself.[for free].
Posted by Stephany at June 19, 2007 08:35 PM
I'm glad you're on our side Philip! Scathing and a pleasure to read. I agree about the Paypal, do it for us, we want to contribute to our community.
Posted by flawedplan at June 20, 2007 04:18 AM
Ha! was wondering why it was so hard making $ writing! Unlike you, I came up the old-fashioned journalistic way - just writing, writing, writing - but I used to be Cultural Editor of ESTYLO magazine for a while - so that's something - I agree there is too much drivel on the net - when are we getting paid for coherent content? (I mean, I do - but few & far between....)
Posted by pamphyila at June 25, 2007 11:40 AM
Bravo Philip. While I'm for the convenience of Web 2.0 applications, the fact is that all this so-called "free content" is making advertisers think they CAN get it on the cheap, and free, and they think they can build their entire marketing budgets on FREE content. It's a fantasy that is having dire consequences for people who are attached to three hots and a cot. Oh, and a roof over their head.
Posted by Michelle Tackabery at July 10, 2007 04:53 PM
Great blog and great post. Thank you for encapsulating so well the issues that journalists and publishing companies are facing with Web 2.0.
I guess Andrew Keen had a point when he called Web 2.0 the "Cult of the Amateur."
Posted by Anonymous at July 16, 2007 07:22 PM