Media Websites Battle Faltering Ad Revenue and Traffic

New York Times ^ | April 17, 2016 | JOHN HERRMAN

[PJ-Comix]

The business of online news has never been forgiving. But in recent weeks, what had been a simmering worry among publishers has turned into borderline panic.

This month, Mashable, a site that had just raised $15 million, laid off 30 people. Salon, a web publishing pioneer, announced a new round of budget cuts and layoffs. And BuzzFeed, which has been held up as a success story, was forced to bat back questions about its revenue — but not before founders at other start-up media companies received calls from anxious investors.

“It is a very dangerous time,” said Om Malik, an investor at True Ventures whose tech news site, Gigaom, collapsed suddenly in 2015, portending the flurry of contractions.

[PJ-Comix]

The glory years of online ad revenue (about 1999 to 20002) are long over. I remember during that period getting a $500 bonus from Commission Junction just as a thank you from them for signing on. It was a great time. I remember earning like $200 to $300 overnight and almost every night just from all the ad clicks I was able to generate. I wish I could reveal in the open how I did it but I might get myself into some trouble. However, they could make a comedy movie about how I did it.

p.s. And, NO, I did not generate ad revenue but doing the clicks myself. My methods were much more hilariously devious.

[LowOiL]

Salon, a web publishing pioneer, announced a new round of budget cuts and layoffs.

Wish it would hurry up and just die. Buzzfeed too.

[Brookhaven]

1) Overzealous advertisements
2) Ad blockers

There is the reason the advertising model is broken.

[Lurkinanloomin]

The Ministry of Propaganda is taking it in the shorts.......

[Major Matt Mason]

Probably true, but ain't no free in life. It costs money to run these sites, so ads and people interacting with them are a necessity. Of course, the dopey millenials think everything should be free, so you could probably add that as #3.

[snarkpup]

Yep. The difference between television advertising and internet advertising is that television advertising doesn't watch you.

[DoughtyOne]