A SHORT NOTE ON THE DEMISE OF THE PJ MEDIA AD NETWORK
I have received several emails on this news - some of them gloating, some solicitous of my supposed loss of a job. To set the record straight, the ad network that PJ Media supported will cease on April 1. The site itself will continue as before and I will continue as Chicago editor.
I understand why many are angry and upset. I also understand the gloating, although I wonder what empty space in a man’s soul would motivate him to write an email to someone and gloat over their supposed loss of a job. But you get used to that if you make a living on the internet. And since I am still working - and will continue to work at PJM - for the forseeable future, the three gloaters who emailed me about how happy they were that PJ Media was going under and I would be unemployed are now exposed as the idiots and dolts they truly are.
I have less understanding with regard to the hundreds of comments I read this morning at Goldstein and Ace’s sites. There seems to be the notion abroad that PJM “betrayed” bloggers who signed up. And this from conservatives on a conservative website? PJM and bloggers like me entered into a contractual business arrangement. The contract simply said that PJ Media would use our websites to place ads while the participating bloggers received remuneration for their consent. There were no promises made in the contract - stipulated or otherwise - that the arrangement would last forever. Bloggers who went with PJM rather than another ad company made a business decision. The market has had its way and has now spoken. How this constitutes a “betrayal” is a mystery.
The fact is, as Reynolds points out, online ad revenue is tanking. Part of that is the economy and part of it is certainly that the ad industry has yet to figure out how to exploit and pay for internet advertising. All those eyeballs and no one can truly measure the impact of online ads. I’m sure it will work itself out eventually but in the meantime, sites like PJ Media suffer the growing pains.
So, those who find something to celebrate in the loss of revenue for bloggers, I wish you a peaceful night’s sleep. To those who are affected by the demise of the network, I sympathize. I hope you land on your feet by being able to find alternative ads for your site. I tried to get Blogads for my site when it was larger than it is now and was turned down so personally, I am not optimistic in my own case.
And to those critics reporting on and doing a sack dance on the supposed death of PJM, I would suggest a remedial course in reading comprehension. We aren’t going anywhere. And I have no doubt you will continue to hear from us in the future.
Note: The views expressed above are my own and not those of PJ Media, its employees, managers, directors or even the commenting trolls.
I think that Jeff’s personal complaint is that he wasn’t utilized–for example, during the Democratic Convention–and was never provided reasons for having been marginalized.
Comment by Dan Collins — 1/31/2009 @ 10:23 am
Quick. Time to blame it on Bill Clinton.
Comment by Continuum — 1/31/2009 @ 10:37 am
PJMedia and other anti-liberal websites need to form a strong search engine competitor to Google. Google has nearly crossed the line into world domination. It’s well on its way to privacy invasion.
Conservatives need an alternative to this handmaiden of Obama.
During the past election, I “invested” $1,000 into Google ad-words. The game that Google plays is sickening. I was told, at first, that my site sold “an unacceptable product” and my keywords were rejected. I sold no product at all, zilch. It was simply pro-Sarah Palin.
I tried again after requesting info regarding the rejection. This time I was informed that the site was rejected because it made “personal attacks” on Obama. These supposedly personal attacks were videos of Obama and Michelle speaking - their own words. I hadn’t even added my own thoughts.
In the meantime, people who were searching for Sarah Palin were getting anti-Palin websites all dressed up as pro-Palin (until the reader got into the gist of the site.) Funny how that all worked out, complements of Mr. Google.
I digress, sorry, Rick. My point is that if conservative leaders (like you) could figure out a way to pool resources and come up with a competitive search engine, it would work. It would go over BIG.
Then, you could sell keyword ads just like Google. And we’d buy from you, because none of us can stand thinking that we are supporting a company that is turning around and giving big money to support a socialist agenda.
Good luck, dude. Personally and professionally. You do a good job, when you aren’t too mean.
Comment by sara in va — 1/31/2009 @ 11:33 am
I blame Firefox and the ad blocker software. And then continue to run it on my computer box.
Comment by Two Dogs — 1/31/2009 @ 11:44 am
ok. But still this screams damaged brand if you ask me. I don’t see how PJM can use the blogosphere anymores to develop positive word of mouth. Cause people don’t have very positive things to say is why. But PJM is synonymous with blogs in its audience’s minds. It’s a pickle.
Comment by happyfeet — 1/31/2009 @ 11:52 am
Hey Rick. I agree that it’s really tacky for people to have emailed you gloating about losing your job, but I can’t help but remember that PJ Media was basically founded on the premise that they could make the model work precisely because they got Dan Rather fired and there was much gloating over that for many years. Not to mention the gloating that went on over Beauchamp, whose wife lost her job. And the really bit players, like the hapless clerk at Walmart during the Merry Christmas vs Happy Holiday kerfluffle. Or the poor kid who lost his job at the CNN or where ever back when that mysterious X appeared on Cheney’s face for three seconds. Seems to me there was much joyous gloating all over the conservasphere when the shoe is on the other foot.
And let’s not forget the joy among the gun bloggers when they got Zumbo fired before he ever came home from his hunting trip.
I’ve never understood how that side of the fence could take such great joy, and even pride, in causing other’s misfortunes and there’s a whole lot more than just three of them. Just saying.
Where did any of that ever appear on PJ Media? Never. Anything that partisan we reject and never publish.
The issue is PJ Media - not idiot bloggers on the right. Even if some of them belonged to the network the whole point of PJM was that the bloggers could take the ads and still be independent.
ed.
Comment by Libby Spencer — 1/31/2009 @ 12:03 pm
And here I thought that the business instincts of people who paid Samuel Wurzelbacher to pretend to be a reporter were unquestionable.
Seriously, though, I wouldn’t wish financial hardship on anyone. Well, besides Bernie Madoff.
Comment by Geek, Esq. — 1/31/2009 @ 12:07 pm
“Libby Spencer” is doing what liberals do: corrupting the argument and conflating immaterial emotionalism with fact. Anyway, people were right to celebrate when Dan Rather got fired: not because he represented an opposing or even biased view but because he lied, repeatedly, betraying the central and indispensable tenet of journalism. If there was such thing as a governing ethics committee of journalism (pretty funny, I know), they would have sacked him.
Comment by rrpjr — 1/31/2009 @ 1:07 pm
The left hires unqualified/biased “reporters” all the time.
George Snuffaluffagus, Keith Uberlib, and Mr. Tingly leg.
It’s only when someone who isn’t a lib pussy gets hired that libs object.
Liberalism is a disease. It starts with weakness in the knees and elsewhere and continues until the libtard is dependent on taxpayers for his existance.
Comment by libocrat — 1/31/2009 @ 1:15 pm
Something big and game-changing is coming to internet advertising. Remember the words “blink link.” Sorry to be cryptic, and I doubt it’s something that will help PJM, but it’s big and cool and probably about a year out.
Comment by michael reynolds — 1/31/2009 @ 1:23 pm
Mr. Moran, thank you for the explanation: I now know much more than I did before about PJM.
Maybe I just am clueless, but the entire PJM thing always seemed to be an organization that attempted to oppose the MSM by being the… well, MSBS (Mainstream Blogosphere) — at least among conservatives.
Not that I don’t read/view/like PJM writers/bloggers/productions: I do. But also I cannot deny that I pick up a whiff of arrogance on their part from time to time. Maybe this set-back will make them stronger in the long run: I certainly hope so.
Having said that: I do not rejoice in anyone’s (connected with PJM) loss of ad revenue. Whatever PJM’s failings, it is still leagues ahead of the GoogleMonster in moral/ethical terms. PJM’s demise will only serve to increase Google’s anaconda-like hegemony.
Comment by gunjam — 1/31/2009 @ 3:08 pm
” …or even the commenting trolls.”
Had to LOL at this line!
Comment by gunjam — 1/31/2009 @ 3:11 pm
Libby Spencer thinks people should keep their jobs even when they don’t do them.
Comment by Jim Treacher — 1/31/2009 @ 5:34 pm
The issue, of course is the rate at which Blogging is changing, and that is mostly a question of technology driving that change. Irony; The Dinosaur media is finding that out as well, and the market share they’re losing, they’ve lost for similar, if not exactly the same reasons;
It’s a bear trying to build a business model around a moving target, particularly a rapidly moving one.
Comment by Eric Florack — 1/31/2009 @ 8:12 pm
[...] has no regrets; Rick Moran of Right Wing Nut House (yet another of the PJ casualties) says “just get over it“; Dan Riehl of Riehl Word View puts it about right — “… this is my [...]
Pingback by Fellow Liberals Gloat; Conservatives Sniffle As Pajamas Media Goes Broke And Goes For More Future Brokeness | THE GUN TOTING LIBERAL™ — 1/31/2009 @ 8:44 pm
Has it not occurred to any affected bloggers that the negative comments and/or e-mail might be from Liberal trolls?
Wasn’t it not long ago that a Liberal/Dem volunteer at one of Obama’s campaign offices admitted that part of their strategy was to infiltrate Conservative blog communities and pretend to be Conservative, while posting negative adverse reactions to the discussions intended to demoralize the true Conservatives?
Don’t forget, GWB is no longer with us. All of that hatred and anger and offended outrage is floating around the planet now looking for new targets. PJM is apparently one of the short term targets. Rush Limbaugh is one of the long term targets. Who knows who or what else will be the recipients of all this Dark Side of Liberal Tolerance!
Comment by KendraWilder — 1/31/2009 @ 10:52 pm
I’m glad that the news of PJ Media’s death was greatly exaggerated.
Comment by Gaia's Child — 1/31/2009 @ 11:13 pm
[...] Rightwing Nuthouse: “There seems to be the notion abroad that PJM ‘betrayed bloggers who signed up. And this from conservatives on a conservative website? PJM and bloggers like me entered into a contractual business arrangement. … Bloggers who went with PJM rather than another ad company made a business decision. The market has had its way and has now spoken. How this constitutes a ‘betrayal’ is a mystery.” [...]
Pingback by The Enlightened Redneck » Pajamas Media Dumps Bloggers — 2/1/2009 @ 9:39 pm
the word is “reMuNeration”, not “reNuMeration.”
Fixed, thanks.
ed.
Comment by el_nino — 2/2/2009 @ 1:24 pm
[...] victim COLLAPSED and was reported DEAD (gone BYE-BYE or BELLY-UP). Eyewitnesses claimed this DEMISE was an ASSASSINATION by someone resembling a certain Hollywood mystery [...]
Pingback by Did Joe the Plumber Kill Pajamas Media? « NotionsCapital — 2/2/2009 @ 3:31 pm