Sullivan emulates PBS

Pandagon is annoyed that Andrew Sullivan is once again asking for donations.

I do think it is funny that while Democrat blogs like Atrios, Talkingpointsmemo, DailyKos, Pandagon, Talkleft, OliverWillis and many others have embraced the good capitalist practice of peddling ads, Republican Sullivan sticks so loyally to the tactics pioneered by PBS. Listen in:

If you read the blog regularly, we’re asking for the same amount as a good cup of coffee a month. If you think this site is worth that, and you want to keep it afloat, please help. All the details are here. Without you, this new experiment in online journalism is impossible to finance. With you, it can go from strength to strength. So please don’t delay.

The only thing missing is the soundtrack of phones ringing in the background and the frequent reprise “our phone volunteers are waiting for your call.”

A year ago when he was fund-driving, Sullivan wrote “we’re working hard for ad dollars, but the landscape is still bleak.” I responded then: “Sullivan won’t begin to find a steady commercial audience until buying ads on his blog is as easy, transparent, affordable and automated as blogging itself.” A year later, he’s still doing things the hard way.