Are Bloggers and Marketers Really Evil?
Jun 24th, 2007 by Dan Blank
The blog world is trying to reinvent journalism, and finding that in many ways, they have to start back at the very beginning. Accusations have been flying this week over online advertorials with bloggers. It all seems to have started with this Valleywag post, and was further fueled by Jeff Jarvis, and a series of responses from some of the accused: Michael Arrington, Om Malik, and Fred Wilson.
It’s a fun debate, but I never really like when accusations are thrown around in such a black and white manner. The caricatures seem a bit too extreme, don’t you think? I drew some illustrations of the key players. Feel free to cut them out, mount them to popsicle sticks, and make them wrestle each other.
[…] Dan Blank brings some welcome comic relief to the drama. […]
dig the pics. check out the parody site for this shindig:
http://www.wipeready.com/
[…] I’ve been watching a controversy brew over blogging-for-dollars as a series of tweets. The latest round in the fight is from Dan Blank (who provides some needed humorous perspective): […]
What’s really funny is the idealistic view of the ‘old media’ that readers have. They truly believe that their local television station, radio station or newspaper isn’t swayed by the almighty dollar. Grow up.
With blogging, I’m always amazed at people that complain when we make money doing it. Somehow money ‘has to’ dirty us. The fact is, I disclose gifts and money, but I don’t think I should HAVE TO and risk getting crucified by the Net.
If I put my integrity at risk, I’m risking the success of my blog and my name in the industry. I personally won’t do that. However, I own my blog and if I choose to risk it, that’s my choice and no one else’s.
For the OMG crowd, get your own blog and do whatever you’d like!
Douglas - what is interesting about this search for “purity” in online journalism, is the massive amount of judgement, the swarm behavior, and the idea people may be causing a stir in order to boost traffic to their own blog, by being critical of others. Thanks for your comments!
-Dan
Absolutely right Dan. Although I think that the way somebody makes money from a blog (or from any other source) can definitely “dirty” them, what for me started as a thought-provoking issue has escalated into some kind of holy war between saints and sinners with the usual naive tinge of anti-capitalism. My immediate reaction to the initial “transgression” was that there had been an error of judgement on some people’s part which made me feel uneasy, but that a single error of judgement doesn’t undermine anyone’s credibility.
Great caricatures, Dan. Of course it’s not merely a division between the sheep and the goats. Real human beings are always somewhere between the two extremes. The Romans said it best, Caveat Emptor. That will always be good advice. It’s usually fairly easy to spot the phonies.
John & Barry: Thanks for the comments, you both make great points. Very little seems to be said of how sophisticated the audience is. In this age of media savvy, won’t people simply tune out those they don’t trust?
Tsk…the idea that we’re only writing about this to get traffic onto our own blogs….shameful
I think Douglas Karr above says it., re integrity. Dilute that sure, but at your own risk…..
Alan - Completely agree. Thanks.
Capitalism capitalizes on everything. Paris Hilton, Digerati, it does not differentiate.
nice work Dan - glad you didn’t put glasses on that blogger
Thanks Darren. Would never dream of it!
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