Liberal Bloggers to Dems: Advertise With Us. Or Else
They Drop Journalism Guise, Start Acting Like Media Owners
Some of the leading liberal bloggers are privately furious with the major progressive groups -- and in some cases, the Democratic Party committees -- for failing to spend money advertising on their sites, even as these groups constantly ask the bloggers for free assistance in driving their message.Or, as Gawker put it, Left-Wing Blogs Try on Extortion as Business Model.
I suppose if I were busting my hump, fighting the good fight, writing post after post about a particular party and its candidates, I might be a little miffed that I don't see anything but lip-service in return -- especially, with regard to the group in question, when the candidate is 98% likely to track to the center, shelving quite a few of the issues I care about most. And it's not like these groups couldn't support almost all of these blogs with just a fraction of a percent of what they spend on traditional advertising and PR.
Of course, this will strike many -- those poor souls who dwell too much on theory -- as borderline stupid on a number of levels.
1. Basic advertising. Earth to left-wing bloggers: If I'm a Democratic group, why am I going to pay to advertise on your sites? It's the epitome of preaching to the converted. Besides -- and I know this will strike many as the self-centered sort of "brand" management that gets big companies into trouble -- what are you going to do come election season? Switch parties? Go independent? (I can just hear Kang laughing now.) Remember how that worked out with Lamont vs. Lieberman? This is politics, not soda. You don't have a lot of choices.
2. Your own brand. Remember all your protestations that you're not a mere water-carrier for the party? Remember that you're supposed to be better than the mainstream media, which is supposedly in thrall to its Republican corporate interests? This doesn't exactly hold you up as a paragon of journalistic or civic virtue.
3. You're now a hostage. Even if these groups do come around and decide to toss a little bit more of their TV or newspaper money your way, they'll come to believe they own you. That's not politics. That's just business. Ask any MSM outlet what happens when they run a story bashing a top advertiser. Many political blogs have already wandered over into the territory inhabited by celebrity and sports journalism, in which punches are pulled in return for access. Now they'll expect you to play nice just to keep those ad dollars flowing. And let's face facts: Once those ad dollars start flowing, they'll probably make up the bulk of what money you're bringing in. Further, unlike those old-school MSM outlets -- which used to have something bordering on local monopolies -- you're in a border-free territory, and you're easily replaced. Also, see No. 1.
All that said, realistically speaking, no one believes that political blogs on either side of the aisle are anything more than water-carriers for their favorite parties or candidates. They're not journalists -- and don't pretend to be. And they do provide a useful service: They keep the grass-roots watered and fertilized. Especially on the left, the big-name bloggers have grown and cultivated communities that, jokes about Lamont aside, can have a multiplier effect and provide buzz -- and cash.
Democratic groups and politicians, when they play the game right, have a huge mobilization machine at their disposal. "Most want the easy way -- having a big blogger promote their agenda," Markos Moulitsas told Sargent. "Then they turn around and spend $50K for a one-page ad in The New York Times or whatever."
Call it hush money, or call it smart marketing. In some cases, there isn't much of a difference. These groups shouldn't view advertising on these blogs in the traditional sense of advertising. Besides, we all know banner ads don't work at all anyway. They should consider advertising on these blogs as an investment in customer-relationship management. And a cheap one at that.
For its part, Americans United for Change, one of the groups targeted by the bloggers, has already made up its mind to start advertising.
But there's one realistic reason making this sort of commotion might not be so smart for the bloggers in question. It might attract the attention of the Federal Elections Commission, which might revisit previous rulings pertaining to political blogs.
RSS Feed›› Campaign Trail
Most Recent Posts 
- Going Mobile for Hopenhagen
- What Do Matt Lauer, Social-Media Experts and My Kid Have in Common?
- Jamming for the Hungry
- We Still Have Plenty For Which to Be Thankful
- American Cancer Society Builds on Birthday Effort
- Google, This Side of $100 Billion
- We're Raising Superheroes, So Can You
- Sorry Rupert, News Content Is Not a Google Killer
- Tipsy Turkey Brought to You by Georgi Vodka
- AOL Kicks Running Man Out Of Bed
- 'Giving Thanks': Helping the Hungry
- More Asians in TV Spots? It's About Time
- Is the Promise of Viral Success Holding the Ad Industry Back?
- JC Penney's 'Doghouse' Returns
- Autism Speaks Hosts Chicago Fundraiser
White Paper
The New Female Consumer: The Rise of the Real Mom
This Advertising Age and JWT white paper explores what multiple generations of American women want when it comes to family, work and life in the 21st century, decades after the women's liberation movement.
Bob Garfield
Verizon Exiles IPhone to Island of Misfit Toys for the Holidays
Too-Cool Apple Now Finding Itself on the Receiving End of Competitor Ridicule
Special Report
America's Hottest Brands
Advertising Age Honors the Top Brands of the Year -- and the Brains Behind Them
3 Minute Ad Age Video
Wal-Mart CMO Reflects on The Chaos of 2006
Marketing Side Was 'Out of Control' He Says
Special Report
Marketer of the Year: Hyundai
The carmaker won handily in our reader poll, besting Walmart, McDonald's, Lego and Amazon
Ad Age Video
Eddie Murphy's Long-Term Effect on Ad Agency Diversity
The Video Story of Dallas' Marcus Graham Project
Weekly Online Poll
Will small digital-production shops working directly with clients turn big digital agencies into unnecessary middlemen?
White Paper: 2010 America
What the 2010 Census Means for Marketing and Advertising
2010 America explains what you need to know about the biggest consumer market-research project of the decade: the 2010 U.S. census. Demographics expert Peter Francese, author of this highly readable Ad Age white paper, analyzes what the census will reveal about the changing face of consumers.
Most Read Most E-Mailed
Most Read Most E-mailed
Be part of the celebration at The Ad Age Media Mavens Awards Luncheon
Sponsored by ESPN. Join the world's leading media strategists for a celebration of creative thinking, innovation and a look at how the best are preparing for 2010. More
(What is RSS?)
They are thugs thru and thru.
mindy
First, they will take money from dinosaur newspapers +5
Second, they are likely much more accountable for their posts having nurtured an honest audience with 1-1 communication, and well-linked content, again +5
Re "All that said, realistically speaking, no one believes that political blogs on either side of the aisle are anything more than water-carriers for their favorite parties or candidates. They're not journalists -- and don't pretend to be. And they do provide a useful service: They keep the grass-roots watered and fertilized. Especially on the left, the big-name bloggers have grown and cultivated communities that, jokes about Lamont aside, can have a multiplier effect and provide buzz -- and cash."
Really? I like blogs because there's typically one person behind it and not some biased editorial board. Plus any blog I read is more likely to be highly specific to my interestes (e.g. blog posts about advertising + politics). So, I'd disagree on that point.
Congratst lefties, and I don't say that often. Well done.
precisely where in the above article is socialism mentioned? you mean that now entertainers like rush & co have redefined socialism to mean monetary system adjustment? that, my friends, is a function of capitalism, with just such a move on the part of fdr's adminsitration allowing our economy to develop into the greatest capitalist machine in history - the one that allowed hedge fund managers to screw us all while we were too busy hitting clubs and the hamptons to notice.
liberals aren't progressives. progressives aren't socialists. obama isn't a vampire. capitalism being rescued from utter chaos isn't socialism.
and while blogs aren't legitimate journalism, they are media, and have every right to hustle for ad dollars.
and like any other media, they run the risk of selling their souls.
kinda like the republican party sold its soul to the neocon nuts who put us all in the toilet we're currently swimming in.
and tell me, do conservatives change their stripes?
i read this on salon.com: "Republicans have held power at the executive branch for 28 of the last 40 years and have held working conservative majorities in Congress for most of that time as well. The destruction of the middle class and the absence of upward social mobility, the loss of industry except for that dedicated to defense and weaponry, the establishment of an underclass, the lack of labor rights, the distrust we are held by our allies, the loss of our ethical and moral center and the weakness of public investment in those things important to our collective interests are all consequences of their ideas and policies".
talk about thugs.
It's not a valid argument to claim you're right just because you think the other guy is wrong. It's stupid and beneath most people who post on this site. If you have a point of view, validate it with positive, legitimate facts that support your position.
As for my personal opinion, I think liberal bloggers have every right to demand compensation for the content they post. There is, as always, the inevitable price of your integrity and independence. To me, that's a fundamental compromise of the whole concept behind social media. Yes, we all want to make money. But "demanding" compensation for social media creates a basic change from "social" to "paid" media. Big, big difference. You think Seth Godin demands compensation for the things he says? Yet, somehow, the man makes a living.
To call a blogger a journalist is an insult to the vocation. Typically, blogs are one part fact mixed with nine parts opinion. This doesn't seem to matter when you are preaching to the choir. Without funding they will fade into the sunset in our fifteen minutes of fame culture. Accepting advertising revenue from the people they write about is the end of their perceived credibility.
At the end of the day it seems that bloggers with any notariety are no different than the "me" society that seeks little more than money and fame. Maybe they should just Twitter ther new demands.
http://www.proudtoliveinamerica.com
A couple of points I'd like to add to the discussion. First, these folks are very independent. For example, I had no idea myself they were going to make any public statements like this until someone sent me a link.
I'd also say, anyone who thinks these publishers are lockstep stenographers of others' talking points just doesn't read them. They criticize Democrats like Philadelphia fans boo and jeer: loudly, sometimes persistently, and in a heartbeat. Sure, they're rooting for outcomes they want, but they can be really tough on the home team, as the very fact of these quotes probably demonstrates. They've been really tough on the Obama administration's economic policies, for example.
All this is to say, while they are activist/journalists, of a kind that harkens back to the earliest days of dead tree newspapers in the US, from my experience, they'd be tough to coopt on an editorial basis. And since my company does the ad sales for many of them and is separate from the editorial side, there is a functioning firewall.
What they really want, I believe, is to make the case for the value of their audiences and of sustaining their brands to the many groups who rely on them. Advertising and outreach do have value, and that's not a shakedown, that's a business case they're trying to make (they are all essentially small business people). They feel as if they're on the bad end of a tragedy of the commons dynamic: lots of groups want to reach their audiences, but these groups don't include advertising in their approaches.
The big reason for that, I think, has to do with how much politically oriented ad strategies often lag behind profit sector strategies in the use of online components, the 2008 election cycle notwithstanding. Political buyers devote a lot less of total ad spends to online than non-political buyers do.
That's in part because donor funded political groups often get money from foundations and the like led by people who don't come from the online media generation, and donors tend to dictate strategy. Their predominant thinking tends to be more traditional, and they're not media professionals.
So, as an ad guy who represents the publishers, knowing them as I do, I'm not sure their message as I understand it from long work with them is being understood and interpreted without a degree of misunderstanding as the conversation online unfolds.
Anyway, just thought I'd add those pieces to the discussion.
Just how often does something like that happen?
And I know for a long time, it was the blogs alone who were talking about the race, mobilizing volunteers, raising money, generating calls and more for Ned Lamont.
I know that you could draw a straight line between coverage on locals and national blogs to national traditional media coverage.
I know that because of the blogs MSNBC aired nationally the only debate of the primary.
I know that on one night -- August 8, 2006 -- hundreds of thousands of Americans felt empowered to make a real different in the electoral process.
So, yeah ... whatever happened in the primary -- I know what happened in Lamont / Lieberman. And it was no small accomplishment.
Tim
Disclosure: I was Ned Lamont's Internet Director
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgWg3KXQ1zU
Sure, it's easy to take an intellectual high road and discourage them from being credited as anything more then very vocal political fanclubs who are willing to sell out their convictions. It would be wrong, and possibly illegal to give them funding, or coax friendly supporters or advertisers to give them business in response to their ultimatums. They should be ignored and left to fend for themselves. If they are skilled, enlightened or in any other way truly contributing to the process they will succeed on their own. That's the right and just approach - just exactly what the right does NOT do.
If I were a liberal blogger I'd be mad as hell at the party I'm consistently singing the praises of not giving me any love in return. Conervative mouthpieces, be they anorexic hateful barbie dolls or accidentally spotlighted plumbers cum kingfishes receive the full love of the GOP and in most cases syndicated media programs and publishing deals. Lefties are just that, left high and dry when the tea bag mafia paints them pinkos or worse. Is it any surprise they've resorted to political blackmail to get some attention?
Henal
http://www.cityslick.net/