Oftwominds.com‘s eclectic range of timely topics include finance, economy, stocks, housing, Asia, energy, long-term trends, social issues, urban planning, work/tradecraft, health/diet/fitness, sustainability, Les Paul guitars and The Great Transformation ahead:
www.oftwominds.com/blog.html.
What’s scarce in a world awash in free content and nearly infinite entertainment content?
After 3,701 posts (from May 2005 to the present), here are my observations of the Alternative Media from the muddy trenches.
It’s increasingly difficult to make a living creating content outside the corporate matrix. The share of advert revenues paid to content creators / publishers has declined precipitously, shadow banning has narrowed search and social media exposure and the expansion of free content and competing subscription-based publishing has made subscription services an increasingly tough sell.
The most effective ways to silence critics and skeptics is to 1) de-monetize their sites / platforms and 2) restrict their access to the public via shadow banning and search algorithm “adjustments.” The two are related, of course; as audiences dwindle, so do revenues and opportunities to sell subscriptions or promote patronage.
The corporate media’s lumping of all alternative media in with “fake news” and troll-farms has intentionally tarnished all alternative media, as undermining independent journalism and commentary is an essential part of unifying public opinion behind “approved” ideologically uniform narratives.
Significant swaths of the public get their “news” and commentary solely from social media (Facebook and Twitter, and to a lesser degree, Instagram) or a handful of corporate media (which included PBS/NPR). As these channels limit / delegitimize alternative media voices, the public’s access to alternative analysis and commentary diminishes even further.
A few quasi-monopolistic corporations have effectively become gatekeepers: what’s approved is allowed to be viewed / heard / read, what raises eyebrows effectively disappears.
It’s become increasingly difficult to make a living writing books. Advances for established authors have fallen from $10,000 or $20,000 to $2,500 or $1,000, and in the academic publishing world, $1,000 may be the entire sum paid to the author for writing a book.
Are people reading fewer books as video and entertainment content expand exponentially? Perhaps. Or are people reading whatever is free rather than buying ebooks/print books? There are likely multiple factors at work, but the bottom line is the Pareto Distribution is visible in the “long tail” of thousands of content creators who receive very little in the way of earnings and a handful at the top of the distribution who capture the lion’s share of all royalties and other income.
What’s scarce in a world awash in free content and nearly infinite entertainment content? Fresh, independent insight is eternally scarce, and in a world in which almost everyone is selling a cover story to secure their spot at the corporate-state trough (or win the approval of their social-media “tribe”), authenticity is also scarce.
The economic-financial value of insight and authenticity are unknown; the market doesn’t price these as it does commodities such as “news”. It’s left to individuals to assess and establish the economic-financial value independent journalism and commentary.
NOTE: Contributions/subscriptions are acknowledged in the order received. Your name and email remain confidential and will not be given to any other individual, company or agency.
Thank you, J.P. B. ($5/month), for your wondrously generous pledge to this site — I am greatly honored by your support and readership.
|
|
Thank you, Erle H. ($52), for your outstandingly generous contribution to this site — I am greatly honored by your steadfast support and readership.
|
Go to my main site at www.oftwominds.com/blog.html for the full posts and archives.
Source:
http://charleshughsmith.blogspot.com/2018/12/the-view-from-trenches-of-alternative.html
Please Help Support BeforeitsNews by trying our Natural Health Products below!
Order by Phone at 888-809-8385 or online at https://mitocopper.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST
Order by Phone at 866-388-7003 or online at https://www.herbanomic.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST
Order by Phone at 866-388-7003 or online at https://www.herbanomics.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST
Humic & Fulvic Trace Minerals Complex - Nature's most important supplement! Vivid Dreams again!
HNEX HydroNano EXtracellular Water - Improve immune system health and reduce inflammation.
Ultimate Clinical Potency Curcumin - Natural pain relief, reduce inflammation and so much more.
MitoCopper - Bioavailable Copper destroys pathogens and gives you more energy. (See Blood Video)
Oxy Powder - Natural Colon Cleanser! Cleans out toxic buildup with oxygen!
Nascent Iodine - Promotes detoxification, mental focus and thyroid health.
Smart Meter Cover - Reduces Smart Meter radiation by 96%! (See Video).