Looking forward to Geekosystem!

Thanks for deleting my comments Dan. I won’t ask the question again, but I will say that your fans have a right to know!

Mediaite has not disappointed in the back half of this year; it’s climbed to my #2 morning news read right after NYTimes.com (because old habits die hard). Geekosystem looks like it could be right up my alley…looking forward to it, boss man!

As the founder of Mediaite, I am thrilled to announce that our site’s ongoing success — both in terms of traffic and advertising —

Does this “successful advertising” include the CNN ad that’s bombarding my screen right now? I’m not sure I love the idea of a media discussion site like this taking huge ads from a media outlet… isn’t that a gross conflict of interest?

Additionally, the ad is terrible. On the left side, I can see Amanpour sneering at me, Coop looking blankly, and Gupta looking confused. However, on the right side, due to the scaling, the words underneath their pictures read, “RUTH” “EWS” and “ACTS.” As a part time web designer (as I am), that’s not how you’re supposed to design ads… and it winds up looking real goofy. That’s not Mediaite’s responsibility, of course, but still awkward.

Anyway… back to the main point… does CNN’s (apparent) increase in ad dollars to Medaite mean that we’ll be seeing less critical stories about CNN’s performance, and ratings plumet?

Good question ImNotBlue – and I can tell you unequivocally that there is no relationshipe between the advertising side of Mediaite and its editorial direction and coverage. This is probably best exemplified by Steve Krakauer’s piece yesterday: #100: CNN Reaches Historic Low In Prime Time Demo (http://www.mediaite.com/tv/100-cnn-reaches-historic-low-in-prime-time-demo/) That’s not exactly the sort of content that would please CNN, don’t you think?

Ah yes. The “Little People” are ALREADY complaing – about the future. They wish you to leap upon that Right-wing treadmill to – nowhere. Ignorance and hatred never take a day off.

@Colby Hall: Every publication makes the claim of independence from advertising, but it is never true. I place ads for clients and I can tell you bluntly that advertisers get attention. Extra special attention. Regardless of how altruistic you think you are, your paycheck comes from those advertisers and, at the end of the day, it is about getting paid. Listing one negative story here and there is not proof of anything. How about the fact that Mediaite rarely pursues CNN anchors the same way as MSNBC or Fox.

@ImNotBlue: We agree again! That ad is totally annoying and inappropriate for a media site like this (not to mention poorly designed). I guess Dan and company can’t spell “conflict of interest.”

Colby Hall says:
December 8, 2009 at 1:33 pm

You are correct about that. I work long hours most weekends, and then play catch-up on Monday and Tuesday, so I missed the discussion about all the ad stuff from the weekend. Steve’s article did hit CNN pretty hard… although, one article does not an entire site make. As an over arching principal, I still think the CNN ad is a mistake.

It reminds me a lot about the debate from the past week about Glenn Beck and his gold sponsorship. Even if it’s all legit, and even if Mediaite is un-phased by the new revenue source… it gives the appearance of a conflict of interest. IMO, it’s the wrong message Mediaite wants to send, especially as they announce an expansion of services.

I didn’t know whether to applaud your mea culpa about your ALL-WHITE MEDIA LEADERS WHO HAVE GONE ON TO HEAVEN – BUT KNOW THEY WERE SUPERIOR TO ALL OTHER DEATHS list….or just scream. You see, as a journalist from the 1970s through this decade. I have been the first or no more than the second “black journalist,” “black editor,” “black man,” or “special hire” at some of the nation’s finest newspapers. Back then, I fought for inclusion, and was given excuses that sound eerily similar to Rachel’s “I should have known better” moment.

It does no good to continue to belabor the obvious, so let me offer these suggestions:
1. Immediately add Richard Prince’s “journal-isms” column to your home page, right with most of the other columnists. Do you have any non-white columns/blogs on your home page?
2. When you decide that you must walk the walk instead of just talking today’s talk, then enlist the nation’s minority journalist organizations; get Prince to put in his column that you are specifically looking for your next new hire to be a journalist of color.

Back in the day, designating job slots to be filled exclusively by a minority is what some major newspaper chains did to be begin to become more diverse and inclusive (Gannett and Knight Ridder come to mind).
And guess what? They found these newcomers to be good journalists. Solid reporters and photographers, good copy assignment editors, wire editors, design editors and layout artists. Some of them won Pulitzers and Peabodies. Most of them found meaningful careers and society’s the better for it.

Thirdly, and this is more in the line of a suggestive warning, to fail to be proactive is to invite your loss of advertisers and page views. That was why these chains and newspapers sought diversity with some passion in the first place. It was about dollar signs, not about doing the right thing.They recognized that their communities were changing and they had to as well. Unlike broadcasters, there was no government mandate to hire. But hire blacks and other people of color they did.

So take this history lesson with you. Richard Pryor once called “history”…..HIS STORY. That is another reason why, for credibility’s sake, you must include rather than exclude — for the sake of an accurate story.

Dan, would you say that your rise in traffic is more commensurate with the number of stories needlessly broken into 2-12 pages and the people dumb enough to view every page, or the number of politically slanted stories successfully trolling far left vs. far right commenters into “who can attach the dumber comment the most times to a single story” contests?

Mediaite, I wish I knew how to quit you.

@ImNotBlue, I have to agree with you on this. However, it is ironic that CNN would choose an Andy Warhol like anti-celebrity grid type ad to push their news organization, not to mention their falling star as the front man! As Warhol once said, “I am afraid that if you look at a thing long enough, it loses all of its meaning.” In this case, he was right on the money.

At least I was able to get a good blog out of it!

BTW, when I log on Christiane’s head is chopped off.

It does make one think that Mediaite is now “obligated” to CNN. I would feel the same way if it was a FNC ad.

@Dan, You should open a Gawker type website where you could dump all those Lady Gaga and Adam Lambert posts. Totally worthless rubbish.

I don’t always agree with the liberal slant of Mediaite, but wish you the best, Dan. You can be proud of Mediaite.

Nachi said…
Ignorance and hatred never take a day off.

Hmmm….If you want ignorance and hatred, read your own comments.

@Keeva, You are 100% correct. it would not be as bad if it was just one ad and balanced out by ads from other news organizations, but this is a barrage of attacks on the retinas of Mediaite’s readers every time they log on or click on the different category icons. It is bordering on being in your face offensive.

You are also right about Mediaite being soft on the CNN anchors. The powers that be at Mediaite didn’t take kindly to it when I pointed that out.

However, I do wish them the best of luck. Hopefully they can do better in the future.

Congratulations, team!

Congrats to Mediaite, I hope you get more posters. I will say that the one thread that garnered the most posts (at least I think it did) was the Climategate article, yet you have been silent on the topic since then.

I’m curious about that. Why have you not put up additional threads on that issue? It’s news, it’s real, and it gets you attention.

We now have some new code that has revealed additional fraudulent information. Copenhagen is falling apart. Why not post some additional stories on that hot topic?

Just because Katie, Brian and Charlie are ignoring it, does that mean you have to as well?

Congratulations, Dan, and all of Mediate’s great writers.

It obviously pains some that you don’t hew far enough right, but I think you have a good mix here. I look forward to the additional sites.

TfT (who is really TinaFromTampa on TVNewser) seems to ignore the fact that “Climategate” has been discussed on several occasions on NBC News.
Not sure why she would do that, but I’m guessing it’s because she’d rather rant from her firmly-grounded position of ignorance.
Oh, and congrats Dan.
I’m all excited about Stylite.
What’s next?
Stalagtite?

TinaFromTampa says:
December 8, 2009 at 9:17 pm

TfT (who is really TinaFromTampa on TVNewser) seems to ignore the fact that “Climategate” has been discussed on several occasions on NBC News.

Do you really think that by first ADMITTING you’re an internet stalker, that your opinions will then be taken as anything other than a joke? Really? You’re PROUD that you’re a stalker… and you think your opinions, despite that admission, still have weight? Really? What is WRONG with you!?

@TfT: Is there a media angle to whatever may be new? Glynnis posted that thing yesterday, repeating a theory about the hack coming from Russia and that’s sorta/kinda media because it was about the source, but is any of the new news media-related?

One thing Dan could do to make Mediaite better is to stop posting comments by people who attack other posters. These are the same “people” that ruined TV Newser. I guess they got bored with TV Newser and are now trying to infect Mediaite with their idiocy.

If someone has a genuine problem with someone else’s position on an issue then they should be required to respond in a respectable manner. These bullies should not be allowed to attack someone because they just don’t like what they are saying. It is one thing to attack these public figures, but posters are not public figures and are not the topic of any of the blogs. If they don’t stop it now they will be powerless to do it in the future.

Libra “Boo Hoo” Blue,

I intend to make the Mediaite comment section about you. Hopefully I will will have as much success as Red Red Bear did over at TVNewser!

NotsoAnonymous (posing here as TinafromTampa): Hey stalker — go back to tvnewser where your stalking and inane commentary is appreciated.

And same2u — same2u: go back to tvnewser where you are appreciated.

>One thing Dan could do to make Mediaite better is to stop posting comments by people who attack other posters. These are the same “people” that ruined TV Newser. I guess they got bored with TV Newser and are now trying to infect Mediaite with their idiocy.

Agree completely.

Magister: Yes, there was another “leak”…..”.Britain’s exquisitely green Guardian newspaper reported on Dec. 8 that “developing countries reacted furiously to leaked documents that show world leaders will next week be asked to sign an agreement that hands more power to rich countries and sidelines the UN’s role in all future climate change negotiations.”

Given the UNs fraud in the OFF program, there is concern regarding the UN and climate change programs.

None-the-less, it’s an interesting news story, and climategate garners lots of comments here. I would just like to see more newsy stuff on the main board here and leave the gossipy stuff to gossipcop. Levi Johnson is not news, climategate is.

same2u/redredbear, I see you recognized your own idiocy. Hey, if you want to waste your time stalking other commentors knock yourself out. I couldn’t care less, you are not worth the time or the effort and if Mediaite wants to put up with it and turn this site into a three ring circus so be it. It was commentors like you who turned TVNewser into a worthless cesspool.

I can understand why Dan would delete your comments. Hopefully he will make it standard practice.

Libra Blue,
I am not redredbear and apparently you do indeed care since you left TVNewser in a snit.

As for Dan Abrams deleting my comments, all I did was ask him to reconcile what he stated he was going to do in a New York Times article with what he is doing now. But as Katrina vanden Heuvel demonstrated on MSNBC when she made a joking comment about GossipCop, Dan is sensitive about questions related to his post-MSNBC business pursuits.

Maybe this will help, since Mediaite has become Huffington-lite as of late. Columnists need to stay out the “news” pieces and stay in an “column” or “editorial” section. I’ve thought for years that the network shows should have a chyron that reads “opinion” or “editorial” when opinion bloviators are on the air – kind of the way that “E/I” shows up on educational shows on Saturday Morning.

We are looking forward to seeing Styleite and Geekosystem! With so many magazines ceasing their print publications, consumers are dependent on websites for new product launch news, product reviews and trends.

I love you Dan, but could you lean a little less to the right?

You know you’re doing something right when conservatives say you lean too far to the left and liberals say you lean too far to the right. )

Ahem: :)

Sorry, typo.

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