By: Staff Reports Larger Ads Grace Web Site's Pages
Salon.com, the Webzine that became the online news industry's barometer on "free
content," has announced that it will charge a $30 annual subscription for Salon
Premium, a service with "additional bonus features." The new service will start
in April.
In a letter to readers, Editor David Talbot wrote, "Now, we must ask our loyal
readers to help keep Salon's unique voice booming." Until now, Salon.com has
offered its content online for free.
All the site will say about Salon Premium so far is that subscribers will not
get banner or "pop-up" ads. One additional feature to be added later is an easy-
printout download. Talbot wrote: "The Internet has always been a medium built on
personal choice, and Salon readers will have two options - continue to read
a free, advertiser-supported site, or pay for Salon Premium and switch to an ad-
free environment while also contributing to Salon's success."
Salon too has embraced the larger online ad formats that CNET introduced earlier
this year. On Salon's "Arts and Entertainment" pages, an interactive ad from
Intel in the middle of the page replaces banner ads.
But, as Talbot admits, "Like many Web sites, we have tried to support our
business primarily through advertising revenue. We have succeeded in signing
hundreds of advertisers over the years. But this revenue has fallen short of
covering our costs. And this year, Internet advertising dollars are in even
shorter supply."
Talbot noted that Salon has cut its budget several times during the last year,
laying off staff, and slashing salaries.
Copyright 2001, Editor & Publisher.
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