I also agree that publishers need to engage their readers/members without promo strings a lot more and this is something AWO has been focusing on lately and we will be rolling out lots of new features to engage our readers (without promo strings) over the next few months.

Megan, absolultey agree and that’s a prerequisite for being a publisher with us going – must be able to show engagment. Always interested in hearing feedback from client / agency on this side.

If you only want to represent the facts then I have to correct something you wrote in your right of reply:

Whilst Fairfax maybe able to fill AWO inventory better than us (which is what we are conceding by stepping out of this space) – they are filling it with advertisers that our network publishers would rather not have on their site. I agree that any of our publishers can fill their inventory faster if they are prepared to take any ads. We’re not prepared to sell that way and most of our publishers don’t want those ads.

Fairfax gives publishers the option to reject ads they don’t want on their website and they can do it with just a click of their mouse. Furthermore, Fairfax have only ever served ads on AWO which are from blue chip companies with well established brands – what publisher in their right mind wouldn’t want these ads on their website?

Whilst you have the right to reply to anything I have written in relation to yourself and Flossie, you don’t have the right to criticise another network, or to speak on behalf of your publishers.

Megan makes a good point. When you run a network you have to look after ALL your publishers and treat them well, otherwise it comes back to bight you.

Now I realise that you have the power to withhold the money you still owe to AWO for commissions earned in October and November. But I’m not prepared to be silenced just for the sake of a few hundred dollars.

Publishers must supply the following -

1. Members are regularly engaged by the publisher without promotional strings
2. Members are reactive – proof of engagement without promotional strings
3. Members represent the population of the site
4. Active members only – this is the killer for those who sell me data

My instructions were clear – I will pay a premium for members who have responded to a publishers message (without promo strings) in the last 3 months. A strong pulse and reactionary.

So food for thought Jenene. Good luck.

No one is looking for a fight, just a fair representation of the facts and reasons. It’s been a bit of a week….