About Working For Change

The cartoon is supposed to go up on their site on Tuesdays, but I don’t know exactly when. If you can’t wait, you’ve always got the choice to click through Salon’s ads. I know it’s a pain, but try to remember: Salon isn’t bankrolled by Bill Gates, and they don’t have a print edition whose advertising and subscriptions support their online version. They’re simply trying to figure out how to stay afloat.

If those ads make you so angry that you’re never going to read Salon again, etc., etc., well — I agree, they’re sort of a nuisance. But what you’re also telling me, of course, is that my work isn’t worth an extra ten seconds of your time.

You can imagine the depth of my sympathy.

(Those of you who do consider the cartoon worth the trouble have my sincere and heartfelt thanks — as do the majority of you who have, as requested, sent your thoughts on this subject to Salon, rather than to me.)

Update: some people actually prefer the new policy.

The new Salon policy is great! Watch one little commercial — and you get a free day pass to all of Salon Premium!

You should be pointing out what a sweet deal this is, not bemoaning it and scaring off the commercial-phobic.

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Clicked through Salon’s ads yesterday *took like 5 seconds* I actually prefer it cuz now I have access to all their stuff. Which means I can be even less productive!! Thanks!

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People can always pay the $30 premium and not deal with Salon’s ads at all. I did it. It didn’t hurt too much. It’s like pledging to NPR, only it’s cheaper and Nina Totenberg doesn’t give you a guilt trip twice a year. Seems a small price to pay for the diverse spread of views, not to mention the excellent selection of comics.

I’m not affiliated with them at all and I’m no Daddy Warbucks. I just think halfway decent alternative press is worthy of a $30 investment.

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It pains me to see you have to defend (probably not the correct term, but you get my point) Salon’s movement toward a “commercials-first, content-later” format in order for them to maintain and grow cashflow in these online advertising-averse times.

Clearly, people who complain about such efforts by content-based sites are either (1) not business people or (2) the type of people who complain about the schmutz on the premium-grade nozzle while filling up their BMW 745is — as in, too cheap to pay for full-serve and too self-centered to even reflect on the ridiculousness of their moans.

Salon helps pay YOUR bills — remind them of that. So too does the patchwork of alternatives and weeklies that carry your work in print. All of these outlets — independent, each one — require remuneration for their efforts. Until we become a complete police state (in about 6 months or so), we still live in a vestige of capitalism. These morons need to remember that every time they blow $4.50 on fucking coffee at Starbucks.

Ignore ’em — or better yet, shame ’em. Eventually, shame gets to everyone. (spoken like a true lapsed catholic!)