Time to reX-mas Shop

While I would prefer you follow Bruce Dobie’s advice and purchase all your holiday gifts from a local merchant, preferably an NFIB member, I realize many of the visitors to this weblog do their shopping online. So, if you can’t find it in your heart to go support the small hometown retailers who contribute so much to your community and to our nation’s economy and feel you MUST shop online, at least do it here. I am contributing any referral fees I receive for purchases made at the rexblog Amazon associate store to local Nashville charities, including the Martha O’Bryan Center and the Second Harvest Food Bank.

Interesting timing: The Online Publishing Association released a study today regarding the connection readers make with the media “brands” they prefer online and off. In light of the new AOL/Time Inc. walled garden model, I wonder what the Time-wonks factored in for the deterioration of subscription revenue that will be caused by allowing AOLers only access to the print-originating content. I’d be especially curious in Time’s case as their magazine sites have always screamed with pop-up subscription ads whenever you leave them.

The rest of the story: I am glad someone clarified the AOL announcement from a couple of days ago regarding their expectations of losing one-half of their online advertising revenues next year. In a somewhat self-serving fashion, the NY Times sets the record straight that the AOL situation is a result of the outrageous deals the company had in their good-old-days. In reality, total internet-related advertising is on the rise (including at the NY Times, where it’s up 33% over last year).

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Kitchen appliances: The NY Times gets up close and personal with Blender editor Andy Pemberton.

Quote:

“I know, I know, it’s a terrible name,” he blurts, then claps a hand over his mouth, self-censorship after the fact.

Which reminds me. Last week, you know what I said about bad names hurting good magazines. Well, in this case, the magazine’s success apparently has nothing to do with either. And, who the heck is the publicist for Dennis Publishing? They deserve a raise. [subscribe to Blender]