Comments on: Blog Networks and Blog Ownership

By: Tom Hanna

Tom Hanna — Wed, 04 May 2005 10:18:33 +0000

Hmmm…I’ve been publishing all my content under a Creative Commons license with a “by” and “share alike” requirement. I even allow commercial use. All I expect is attribution as I figure that will drive traffic, if I ever write anything that anyone feels is worth copying. If I were running a network, that CC license would mean that at the end of the relationship the blogger and the company could both use the content – the same as anyone else.

By: Shai Coggins

Shai Coggins — Tue, 03 May 2005 02:45:35 +0000

As a blogger, I would never sign off ownership of my content to anyone (— unless I get paid a good price for it?!). That’s why I kept this in mind when I started my own network. At this stage, I’m working on the model whereby the network “owns” the blog itself, but the blogger keeps the content he/she creates — just like some of the others (Duncan’s Weblog Empire, etc.).

By: Duncan Riley

Duncan Riley — Tue, 03 May 2005 01:42:05 +0000

Just on Jacobs comments, whilst I can see where he is coming from no network is going to sign over rights to the actual blog to the blogger, if a network owner or owners are going to invest time and money in a blog they are going to want to own the blog, unless its in some sort of associate partnership (it’s something I’m talking to a few people about now). Having said this I’m hopping the compromise at Weblog Empire may be more appealing, sure you don’t get to to keep the blog if you walk away, but you do get to take a copy of content with you, which you can do with what you please. As a contributor to a network blog you are mostly contributing content so I see it only fair under a shared revenue structure that content ownership is also share to an extent.

Having said this though Jason’s model is the way of the future so to speak and the better model of the lot, however the risk exposure and start up funds are also higher so the option is quite limited to the smaller networks until they get to the point of having a reasonable flow of revenue.

I’d also note on the issue of concerns of some network bloggers in relation to investing their time in blogs only to risk ownership change or loss that its a risk to everyone, but at the end of the day network blogging does offer great potential at building profiles, personalities and can be looked at either in two ways, an opportunity to make money and perhaps even a full time job, or a stepping stone onto something bigger and better. Think about some of the people Nick Denton has employed who have gone onto media jobs, other blog networks and the like, they may have been relatively well known before hand but the Gawker Media blogs turned them into stars. Sure, they invested time and didn’t get ownership, but the benefits of the exposure for the couple of years have arguable set them up for life, so I’d argue that its a win:win all round.

By: Darren

Darren — Mon, 02 May 2005 21:59:08 +0000

Good comment Jason.

The more I think about it the more I’m realising that there is really no bad model (ok – one or two of the models I’ve seen could be bad) but instead different networks will suit different bloggers. Its about working out a ‘best fit’ and seeing what is most compatible with your goals.

If you want a more stable guaranteed income what you guys are offering sounds best, if you want to build a blog and retain control over it one of the other networks might fit better – if you want to have complete control and not share the earnings at all – don’t join a network.

By: Jason

Jason — Mon, 02 May 2005 17:04:16 +0000

>> Sme of the newer blog networks are offering authors
>> ownership of their content and allow them to take
>> what they write with them at the end of any relationship

This was our original model in fact. However, 19 out of 20 folks we talked to wanted to just get paid for their work and take no risk… i think it’s great that people are still championing our original model since I think the 1 out of 20 people need a place to go…. we just can’t be all things to all people.

And you obviously can’t build a business where you give people both compelete ownership and cash up front (i.e. no risk)… just not a fair deal to the publisher/shareholders.

best j

By: Peter Flaschner

Peter Flaschner — Mon, 02 May 2005 15:11:34 +0000

Not that this will help the argument, but I feel compelled to add: the friction between authors and publishers is as old as publishing itself.

I hope to join a network, since the benefits seem huge. But I think that as soon as you give up ownership of your material, you’re no longer a blogger. Instead, you’re a journalist. There’s nothing wrong with that. But it comes with a different mindset. My 2 cents.

By: Jacob G.

Jacob G. — Mon, 02 May 2005 14:52:31 +0000

I think that joining a blog network is not a bad idea at all as long as you get to retain ownership over the blog. Whoever owns the blog has the power. The only reason I would probably ever consider joining a blog network is for the exposure. I think however, in the long run, that it may be best to stay on your own. If you write good stuff, people will come.