What's Happening to Conservative Websites?

vanity | 3-7-07 | Bob J

[Bob J]

I have diligently watched the rise in size and influence of conservative websites, including Free Republic, over the last 7-8 years. I have been shocked and concerned over the drop in traffic at the most popular ones over the last year or so. There was good growth up until 2006 but since then there has been a steady downtrend that would crash any other market.

Anyone have any ideas as to what is happening? I'm out of explanations. The deficiencies in alexa.com are noted, but even if the numbers aren't accurate you're still comparing off numbers to off numbers so the decline is consistent.

[Enosh]

"newbie"

What took you so long?

[altura]

I come straight to the forum from a bookmark as well.

I like some of the special interest links I am pinged to, like the health and science and the doggy posts.

I just avoid the threads I now will get nasty and bogged down with repetitive arguments and insults. (and that's too many nowadays).

[shrinkermd]

Like talk radio there are now more Web sites who narrowly and professionally focus on a limited number of subjects.

This competition is no one's fault and is not easily remedied. What could be remedied is better manners and focusing on issues rather than personalities. There is a definite tendency for a few to "write" more than they "read."

The Net has changed everything and is continuing to change. It is hard to imagine Drudge was a cutting edge news source. He has survived and thrived by short posts and good links on stories that appeal across the political spectrum. He has a "view" but he is gentle in asserting it which is something we could all learn to emulate.

[Bob J]

Another good comment from a guy who has been around long enough to know.

[Ron in Acreage]

Ditto. With "coservatives" in power we got wide open borders, jobs for illegals, etc.

[ken21]

about the same time the "support our troops" ribbons on cars disappeared.

[Centurion2000]

We've gotten all the good site content cached onto our desktops.

[somemoreequalthanothers]

I guess my meaning didn't come out quite right, I'm actually a Rudy supporter as of this moment. I was referring to the anti Rudy people calling us names. That contributes nothing, regardless of what your position is.

[FreeReign]

Two words, George Bush. He's not a conservative, out of control spending and the war in Iraq, lack of immigration control.

The guy in your tag line voted for all that spending.

[carolinalivin]

I saw that on the home page. Thank you.

Does that mean the thread on St. Clement is misplaced on the main list.

BTW I am Catholic, but I came here for the politics and the daily Toons : ).

[quidnunc]

CyberAnt wrote: FR has really changed. I see threads that have nothing to do with anything important enough to even read .. but there are so many of them .. they move the other important threads out of sight before you can even read them. Too many disruptors. All they do is all people names and argue about everything .. and especially when they have all their facts wrong. It's practically impossible to DISCUSS any topic.

Absolutely!

[ozarkgirl]

Oh and before my rant and probably on the draft I didn't send was....yes, Bush has been great on some things, SCOTUS, tax cuts, abortion. Yes, I will say he's done quite well on certain issues but overall I'd give him less than a 50% rating.

[ßuddaßudd]

...amazement at what people will do to make an attempt at influence.

Interesting statement,(without influence of course).

[carolinalivin]

That was my husbands problem. He liked to mix it up and sometimes was too aggressive. He said that was acceptable when he signed up, but things changed and he didn't.

[Sam Ketcham]

In the last election the Conservatives voiced their opinion - some (I) left GOP slots empty. we weren't PO'd at the IRAQ War (other than GWB could have been out earlier, or been more definitive in IRAQ) why? PO'd at GWB's failure to close the border, failure to stand up to the Dims etc. Perhaps it's me but we let the Dims have the best of us for the last 6 years, failed to reverse much of what the Dims did, failure to have a continuation of the Promise To America, failure to make appointments when Congress was out as Clinton did, failure to take action against criminal Dims such as relates to vote fraud etc.

In summary, we elected the best moderate Democrat into the WH. JMO but that is because the GOP attempted to appeal to moderate Dims for votes and lost Conservatives - or catered to illegals and alienated those with Traditional American values..

[Bob J]

I'll throw one in. The first five years it seemed like us vs. them and nowadays it seems like us vs. us.

[Centurion2000]

The right wing seems to have disappeared in the U.S...
Civil War brewing?.. Maybe ... somethings up..

If you see FR disappear while a Clinton is in office .... CW2 is real close.

[chasio649]

about the same time the "support our troops" ribbons on cars disappeared.

---

Hey!! I still got one...my stepson is in Ramadi right now...but yes, i know what you mean.

[Tribune7]

The charts are based on percent as per daily reach. This means the more websites that come about, the more the percent will drop -- unless of course the increase in visitors is higher than the increase in traffic to new websites, and that I think is very unlikely considering the advent of blogs (a fairly recent development) and web video sites such as YouTube.

[FreeReign]

when the choices are Hillary or Rudy- how does that inspire conservatives? }

The inspiration is supposed to come before the choice is Hillary or Rudy.