We all know that monetizing content online is, at best problematic, and at worst crippling traditional media. Its not good and things need to change. Leo and I have both blogged on this issue in the past (most recently here and here respectively).
Today I read a great article by Peter Osnos in which he quotes a really nice way to frame the issue:
The universe of information is vast, and for it to truly flourish, there must be “an ecosystem in which all stakeholders in the content economy have a fair share.”
Sadly Osnos does not name the originator of this fabulous sound bite but I think it does a fabulous job of framing the issue and where it needs to go.
Currently Google (not the only guilty party but arguably the biggest) run their own ads next to other people’s content without sharing revenue and this seems wrong. Little wonder then that, as Leo pointed out recently, The Guardian have taken the power back somewhat with their Open Platform: Guardian content with ads that they get the money for with an open API allowing people to take, mashup and deliver Guardian content across the net as they so choose.
Looks like the ecosystem might yet flourish!
[...] don’t get it. Not one week ago both Leo and I were both singing the praises of The Guardian and it’s new Open Platform. And yet I note with [...]