Is NRO Doing Something Wrong?

Update: Glenn Reynolds offers some insight into Alexa and I don't disagree. However, as regards my particular post, in relative terms, Hot Air, Michelle Malkin, Instapundit and Kos have all had ups and downs but show either growth, or remain somewhat steady over the longer term. That can't be said for NRO during a period in which they tripled staff. Assuming the listed blogs represent a market view of sorts, percentage-wise NRO is down significantly as compared to the others. It at least suggests whatever they've done in increased investment during the period hasn't been rewarded with an increase in share.

While many may see National Review as something of a sacred cow on the Right, we are nevertheless in the age of new media, and NRO deserves the same scrutiny of any other enterprise. It was, after all, started as an offshoot of an old media enterprise.

While I may have been a bit hard on NRO yesterday due to their on going bleg, some new information they provide today sheds a little more light on the issue. By the numbers, it isn't real bright.

Two years ago NRO was a very in-the-red operation. Fiscally speaking, of course, as we still detest Commies. Now, with about triple the staff that we had then, but without thrice the revenue of two years ago, we’re in-the-redder than ever. And in need of your help. Again.

Thanks to Alexa, we can take a peek at just what's been going on at NRO over the relevant time frame - it isn't good. Three-year screen cap below, a five-year span makes it even worse.

But the best way to look at it may be with a 3-yr comparison between NRO, Instapundit, Michelle Malkin and Daily Kos, with the latter's numbers coming under some scrutiny just now. See bottom screen cap. And if you really want an eye opener, take a look at what Hot Air has done relative to NRO in less than a year.

Bottom line on that, Michelle invested in staff and facilities, etc and in six months Hot Air alone is nipping at NRO's heels. See second screen cap below. NRO, on the other hand, also invested dollars and has continued to slide relative to other sites during the same period they claim to have tripled staff.

Maybe it's time for NRO to think about what they're doing, or how they're doing it - and stop worrying about whether or not readers will pony up to support a model that isn't delivering results, assuming they're telling the truth about not being Commies, of course.

As things stand, were I looking at it purely as an investor, I know where my money would go.

Comments

[LOL]

yup, NRO is trash. Big surprise

[LOL]

and judging by those stats, I guess it's safe to say that reality has a liberal bias

[chris]

Online conservatives aren't interesting in legitimate journalism and reporting like NRO. The mouth-breathing rednecks gravitate more to Rush Limbaugh and the Natalee Holloway/Macaca Wins sites. Oh and nascar.com, can't forget that!

[Karl]

What the oh-so-civil commenters above seem to be missing is that dKos is seeing the same downward trend as NRO and the others -- a fact all the more remarkable given that dKos is a community-based site, rather than the work of a handful of people.

[Dan Riehl]

There's some truth in that, Karl - but look at NRO "relative" to the others, as I suggested. It's in that that you can see a slide.

[Bob C]

NRO has gone mainstream, a bunch of self-serving media celebrities posting to each other. I mean, Star Trek weekend??? Fund raising appeals? Who do they think they are, PBS? What has happened to NRO is no different than the efforts of the MSM in the blogosphere; it's the internet version of what they spout in print or on the air. Kos isn't a blog, nor is HuffPo, no moreso than Drudge is. I've been reading blogs from their infancy...Moira Breen, Joanne Jacobs, Bjorn Staerk...individuals posting their thoughts on a variety of issues, who were happy to respond directly to their readers. It was fun and informative. NRO has tried to use it to sell their pundits, magazines, and cruises. No thanks. I get the magazine, and that's plenty.

[M. Simon]

It looks to me like we are seeing a long tail effect.

With more places to go that are good - some are damn good - the audience is fragmenting.

I used to read NRO daily. Now once a week if that.

Plus at NRO you have to throw things at the monitor or send an e-mail which never gets answered. If I go to a small blog I can have a conversation.

Once a blog gets big enough to have more than 50 comments to each post the conversation becomes unwieldy. Big traffic blogs IMO are only workable for linkers.

BTW it would be nice to see Instapundit stats for the same period.

[M. Simon]

Let me note that wars and elections are really good for blog traffic.

If Israel is involved in the war even better.

[Gekkobear]

"Posted by: chris | Wednesday, October 03, 2007 at 12:40 PM"

Thank you Chris for that bigoted and intolerant post gnereically sweeping a large group of people into a self-delusional worldview you have. Glad to see that the Left is at least as obnoxious, infantile, and irrational as you claim the Right is...

[jj]

chris is the conscience of the Left, bear, and that's why I like him so much. He is a poster boy for what is wrong with liberals, who are more apt to hate, be obnoxious, and as you say, infantile and irrational, than any redneck who ever lived. It lifts me up to see him drag the Left down...down...down...every time he posts. Hahaha!

[chris]

Tsk, tsk. Shouldn't you be out getting Pierce her morning-after pills?

[seekeronos]

Hey "chris":

Jesus loves you, but you only have a short time left on this earth.

"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27, KJV)

Won't you call upon the Lord Jesus to save you from your sins?

Do you really want to risk an eternity burning in hellfire?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

As for the net traffic thingy, that is interesting that the NRO is sloping off faster than the other popular sites.

I wonder what the traffic stats for RedState and TownHall look like for the same period.

[LOL]

rofl i love the multiple post evangelizing. you are such a transparent piece of crap seeker. You've allied yourself with a bunch of cowardly idolaters and yet still believe you follow the teachings of jesus. Please. You're not fooling anyone

[seekeronos]

"--- You've allied yourself with a bunch of cowardly idolaters and yet still believe you follow the teachings of jesus. ---"

Please explain?

My comments directed at the entity occasionally known as "BobInStamford" and "chris", among numerous other aliases/sockpuppets are meant to help him out.

He needs Jesus as his saviour as much as anyone, including you.

Don't you agree that this is a better approach than wasting time trying to trade insults or put the man down for his ignorance?

If doing is "cowardly idolatry" then I don't see how. Please enlighten me.

[chris]

Woooo - HELLFIRE!!! That's scary stuff. I'm right afeared!

[seekeronos]

"--- Woooo - HELLFIRE!!! That's scary stuff. I'm right afeared! ---"

Though you mock, "chris", you would do well to fear the Lord.

Here are a few reasons why:

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction." (Proverbs 1:7, KJV)

"And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matthew 10:28, KJV)

"Only fools and corpses don't change their minds" (Frosty Wooldridge, 16 July 2007)

That last one is extra-biblical of course... but I think you'd agree that it is true.

I encourage you to embrace God's wisdom (best found in the Holy Bible) and cease from your continued foolishness.