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.
2.This became a ubiquitous ad tactic.
3. This piece got 1.3 million pageviews.
4. This slideshow got almost 400,000 views.
5. This sponsored content.
6. This presentation was viewed 400,000 times.
7. This was an actual headline in a publication that gets 47 million monthly unique visitors.
8. This story actually ran and was “recommended” 25,000 times.
9. This explained the Egyptian revolution.
10. This chart.
11. And this one.
12. This ad placement.
13. This service exists.
14. This is an SEO tactic.
15. This article was untrue but got 1.5 million pageviews.
16. (Bonus) This 125-word listicle.
More in Media
Why 1440 is evolving from a newsletter company to a destination of explainers
Newsletter company 1440 is expanding beyond email by building an online library of explainers, amid the rise of AI-driven search.
Publisher alliance Ozone makes a larger play for U.S. advertisers
Publisher alliance Ozone is on a growth tear in the US and plans to expand its local headcount to 50 people next year.
Media Briefing: From blocking to licensing, publishers inch toward leverage with AI
There are new levers for publishers to test in the AI era. While they’re still far from holding the upper hand, compared to a year ago, the outlook no longer looks quite so bleak.