Death of a Blog

When AOL put banner ads across the top of our blogs, it was an affront.  It was as though someone stuck an ad in the center of the page of a book.  We weren't asked or even warned.  They just showed up one day.

The thing is that bloggers PAY for their subscription (even though blogging is a bonus, a free opportunity.)  You cannot blog on AOL if you are not a subscriber.

The company was using the attention bloggers get to bring in revenue.

A bunch of bloggers (me included), some of them noted for their blogs (myself not included), left AOL for that reason.  Thus, this blog is left to slowly die.

Just recently, they increased our subscription price.

They didn't offer any consideration to the bloggers.  Some of those options might have been whether to have an ad on their blog or not and maybe some subscription price reduction for agreeing to carry an ad.

I don't buy t-shirts or other clothing that advertises itself or anything else unless it is something I support.  Why should my personal thoughts be sublet to advertise cell phones and banks? 

And if a bloggers thoughts are used in such a way, with or without their consent, shouldn't they get some consideration?

AOL advertises "Your Thoughts.  Your Blog."

There ought to be a proviso.  Something like: "Your thoughts, used for profit."

 

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