Only a few spots left to join us for the Digiday Publishing Summit

Join us Sept. 14-16 in Miami to connect with top publishing leaders

SECURE YOUR SEAT

15 Ways publishing lost self-respect in 2013

We recently wrote the optimist’s take on the state of publishing based on what happened in the past year. In the interest of fairness, the following are signs that publishing is going to hell in a hand basket. Hold on tight.

1. This webpage has 90 ad units.
cafemomoutbrain

2.This became a ubiquitous ad tactic.
forbeswelcome

3. This piece got 1.3 million pageviews.
tbi

4. This slideshow got almost 400,000 views.
bislideshow

5. This sponsored content.
atlanticscientology

6. This presentation was viewed 400,000 times.

Screen Shot 2013-12-19 at 8.37.25 AM

7. This was an actual headline in a publication that gets 47 million monthly unique visitors.
elitedaily

8. This story actually ran and was “recommended” 25,000 times.
huffpogay

9. This explained the Egyptian revolution.
egyptbuzzfeed

10. This chart.
tbinewsroom

11. And this one.
viralfb

12. This ad placement.
nissan

13. This service exists.
maxvisits

14. This is an SEO tactic.
VelveetaFOD

15. This article was untrue but got 1.5 million pageviews.
epicnote

 

16. (Bonus) This 125-word listicle.

Screen Shot 2013-12-19 at 10.39.18 AM

More in Media

Marketers say usage rights are driving up the price to work with creators

Creator pricing’s biggest hurdle are usage rights, which can create confusion and frustration on every side of the negotiation table.

Media Briefing: What to expect at the Digiday Publishing Summit, September 2026 edition

Here’s a sneak peek at the topics that will be discussed onstage during the Digiday Publishing Summit, September 2026 edition.

A stylized illustration of a retro TV screen displaying a hand holding colorful shopping bags, symbolizing the connection between CTV advertising, retail media, and consumer purchase data.

Location data fuels mall giant Simon’s new pitch to advertisers

Simon is letting brands target shoppers in its malls in other environments and use new measurement tools based on Simon’s consumer data.