Web Outfit To "Change Journalism Forever" With Pay-For-Traffic Scheme
Last night saw New York's geekiest gather at something called NYC Tech Meet-Up, an event which we will not even pretend to understand. Or care about—save for the fact that Thomas Plunkett, Gawker Media's tech master, made some sort of presentation about something or other that he and his army of supergay IT warriors do behind the scenes to make your reading experience that much more manageable. Portfolio seemed to enjoy the performance—but they didn't get the goods. Unfortunately, we did.
Portfolio said:
Perhaps the funniest moment of the session occurred when Gawker's rep likened working for Nick Denton — who was in the room — to getting hit in the head with a surfboard, drawing guffaws from the crowd.
Emails to Denton seeking elaboration were not returned immediately.
Now, we know how cagey our owner-publisher can be with the press, but we figured we'd put our special access to good use. We asked him about the comparison today via IM:
BALK BTW:"Perhaps the funniest moment of the session occurred when Gawker's rep likened working for Nick Denton — who was in the room — to getting hit in the head with a surfboard, drawing guffaws from the crowd."
BALK BTW: Do you think that's an accurate assessment?
BALK BTW: I mean, Tom WAS hit in the head by a surfboard, he knows of what he speaks. [Ed. Note: This is actually true, he was.]
DarkLordBalthazar: Ha — you'd better not be thinking about one of your self-referential quicklinks. The pain of a surfboard collision will be as nothing.
BALK BTW: Perfect answer. It'll be so meta!
DarkLordBalthazar: You'll be pleased to know that you have persuaded me of something.
DarkLordBalthazar: Let this mark the moment when pay-for-traffic changed journalism, forever.
And just like that, I've ruined both journalism and the internet for everyone. Sorry about that. Also, for the record, being hit in the head by a surfboard apparently falls on the lower end of the punishment scale in the online world. Keep that in mind when you're applying for my soon-to-be-forcibly-vacated job!
