I don’t want to keep blogging about paid content and micropayments; the concepts have been dumped on enough throughout the blogosphere, including right here. But when I read all the respectful MSM coverage still being given to Steven Brill’s Journalism Online, I start feeling like Will Ferrell’s character in Zoolander. I mean, why is anyone still listening to this guy? Am I taking crazy pills?
Brill had a couple business successes earlier in his career, including American Lawyer and CourtTV. But in the past two decades, he’s been far more famous for his flops: Brill’s Content, Contentville and, just this past week, airport-verification service Clear.
I don’t mean to suggest that people should ignore Brill because not all of his ventures have panned out; even the best entrepreneurs can’t be expected to bat 1.000. No, people should ignore Brill because, the more he talks about his plans for paid content, the more it becomes clear just how clueless he is. Read the rest of this entry »
