Re: Is Your Blog Commercial?

**B* M* <c*@yahoo.com>**

Hi Susan!

Clarify what I meant by that? Well, I can try. 

Noted the word rant, read the manifesto, checked the bios, saw logo merchandise and ads, read some posts. In that context, piecing things together, it’s clearly, overtly a commercial project with a stated bias. Crossed my mind it’s possibly groundwork for an on-line gardening magazine or membership site. Regardless, it’s great publicity for the writers.

Every publication -- including a blog -- uses editorial guidelines, implicit and/or explicit, and filters its content accordingly. (It’s unavoidable if you have a point of view.) So I take just about everything I read, be it a homespun blog or a national newspaper or something in between, with a grain of salt. Isn’t that what informed consumers are supposed to do? 

I am grateful that the internet offers such a wide open venue for writers in this extraordinary and exciting time. Every blogger is a brave pioneer working in uncharted territory. I think you four are doing just fine at whatever it is that you are doing and I certainly wish you the best of success with it. 

If you are not satisfied with my impression or assessment of the blog or how I expressed my feeling or opinion about it, or if I still haven’t made myself clear, I’m sorry. Between this and what I explained yesterday about my personal criteria for commercial blogs, I’m not sure what else I can tell you.

Barbara Martin   
http://reptitude.com/

--- On Tue, 3/3/09, Susan Harris <harristakoma@erols.com> wrote:

> From: Susan Harris <harristakoma@erols.com>
> 
> Barbara:  Speaking as a GardenRanter, now I'm confused.
>  If this is your concluding remark about commercial blogs: 
> "As far as a blog being more or less commercialized,
> there is no value judgment intended as to good or bad."
> then I don't understand this concluding remark in your
> original message about us: "I also feel it is a highly
> commercialized blog and discount it accordingly. Call me
> cynical. Cheers!"
> Can you clarify?  Susan
> _______________________
> www.gardenrant.com
> www.sustainablegardeningblog.com
> www.sustainable-gardening.com

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