06 July 2010

In which ScienceBloggers suddenly realize they're supported by ads

ScienceBlogs, the portal published by Seed magazine, introduced a new blog today, called Food Frontiers. It's a blog by PepsiCo. Response has been swift and mostly negative. Let's see.

http://scienceblogs.com/ethicsandscience/2010/07/welcome_to_inescapable_conflic.php
http://scienceblogs.com/whitecoatunderground/2010/07/rethinking_blog_networks_and_e.php
http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/2010/07/sucking_corporate_dick.php
http://scienceblogs.com/goodmath/2010/07/seed_conflicts_of_interest_and.php
http://scienceblogs.com/myrmecos/2010/07/enjoy_a_nice_cold_pepsi_today.php
http://sciblogs.co.nz/code-for-life/2010/07/07/scienceblogs-adds-pepsico-sponsored-blog-sparks-debate/
http://twitter.com/search?q=%23scibloxymorons
http://twitter.com/search?q=%23scibloxymoron

I can probably go on, but be that as it may. What does Ambassador Kosh say about the situation?


You have always been here.

I'm just surprised that so many bloggers have so rarely looked around at the ads surrounding their blogs - and not just ScienceBlogs, either. Perversely, many science blogs with ads end up getting ads featured on them that are, frankly, anti-science. I've seen ads for flat abs, ads from creationists, ads for dietary supplements, and lots more.

It's not clear to me that ad in the form of a blog is so much worse than an ad in a sidebar.

And I'll be curious to see far are bloggers willing to go. If they don't want to blog for ScienceBlogs any more, will they also abandon ResearchBlogging.org, also run by Seed?

Additional: More posts on this.

http://www.science20.com/science_20/symbol_stacks_and_science_communication
http://scienceblogs.com/neurotopia/2010/07/im_afraid_ive_been_thinking.php
http://scienceblogs.com/thusspakezuska/2010/07/everything_old_is_new_again_zo.php
http://faultline.org/index.php/site/item/i_dont_see_how_this_could_possibly_end_badly/
http://www.genomicron.evolverzone.com/2010/07/scienceblogs-jumps-the-shark/
http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2010/07/blindsided_by_my_corporate_overlords_and.php
http://scienceblogs.com/isisthescientist/2010/07/so_were_all_mad_over_pepsico_a.php
http://scienceblogs.com/authority/2010/07/scienceblogs_the_choice_of_a_n.php
http://scienceblogs.com/goodmath/2010/07/seed_conflicts_of_interest_and.php
http://scienceblogs.com/terrasig/2010/07/pepsico_blog_food_frontiers_is.php
http://scienceblogs.com/laelaps/2010/07/a_pepsi-induced_hiatus.php
http://scienceblogs.com/neuronculture/2010/07/a_food_blog_i_cant_digest.php
http://scienceblogs.com/culturedish/2010/07/culture_dish_doesnt_live_here.php
http://scienceblogs.com/superbug/2010/07/pepsi_messy.php
http://johnrennie.net/2010/07/07/teetering-chinese-wall-falls-on-scienceblogs/
http://scienceblogs.com/commonknowledge/2010/07/of_pepsi_and_scienceblogs.php 

More additional: The Guardian has leaked an internal memo from Seed Media Group to their bloggers on the Pepsi situation.

1 comment:

neuromusic said...

I think's Chris Clarke's "update" hits the core of the problem... the blurring of the line between editorial and advertising is what is problematic about this.