I thought I conveyed the essence of the matter when I asked Franz if 'Net ads worked on him. I answered for him that they didn't. So I ask you, do they work on you or are they a nuisance that you go out of your way to avoid. You might say that your behavior is not representative, but I have yet to find anyone who doesn't find them a nuisance.
Why is it that everyone has gotten on this band wagon and claimed that the 'Net is going to bring in all these other revenues, but no one tells you what these revenues are. They're virtual. So why don't you start telling me just what is selling so well.
The cost/benefit of 'Net ads is one of the worst in all history. It isn't hard to see why, because it is impossible to see how an ad will work. They might work better in full motion video or full graphic T-1 cable modem, but the fact is that the 'Net comes over the PC and the user controls the PC like the tv could never be controlled.
You and Franz should get together to form the Heman Portland Haters Club. This is why the stock tanked, panic caused by unsubstantiated fear. People look at the theoretical 1000 P/E and suddenly they see themselves in rags selling apples. They don't see that on the way up although when it was going up that was just as true, perhaps more so. If you look at Portland from the angle that T will go in an assuage the situation, give them what they want, make a little money, then if that becomes a precedent, then T and ATHM will suddenly get subscriptions that they wouldn't have received had this standardization not been put in place. It's promotion and it beats ads all to hell. |
