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From a reader point of view i must say the article is true but from a blogger point of view, i think is total self sided notion.

As a blogger (myself anyway) we blog not to make money (not much) but to record down important parts or events that happen around us. Famous blogger or infamous blogger managed to capture the legions of fans because they posted something they liked any maybe along the way introduces some other great blogs.

bloggers are not idiots and i am sure they know if they have been exploited but it seems all monster bloggers have gain tremendously from that NSTP site.

furthermore, we're all being exploited one way or another.

i don't understand what's all this fuss about. if it is true that the monster bloggers are being exploited but yet they carry on blogging, means they don't mind being 'exploited' in the eyes of others, because in their eyes, it doesn't matter - as they said they are doing it as a community project or because they love writing.

there is such a thing as doing community service or voluntary service for a profit-making company. if the person doesn't feel exploited and don't mind at all, why not?

unknown to many of us, like what terrence said, we are being exploited one way or another, take the example of writing in to readers coloumn of say the star paper. we write, we didn't get any payment but we help to make the star more popular/saleable because people love reading the readers write column.

as to the part of hurting the industry for genuine writers, don't tell me bloggers like us who simply love writing don't have the right to write for whoever we like, even to those profit-making companies, without payment?

well, ok some bloggers might feel stupid over this but not me. and if i am taken to be stupid, who cares, it's only your opinion.

Huh. My brain automatically skip monsterblog ping in petralingstreet.org.

IMHO monsterblog is merely NST editorial blog to sent kowtow message with a "neutrality" and "openness" sheep skin by getting non-NST blogger into the picture.

Those "freelance" monster blogger indeed screen themselves on "political correct/neutrality" before posting to monster blog.

Yes, if the bloggers themselves don't feel exploited, and happy with what they do, end of the story?

Not really. Let's look at the big picture. Nobody is questioning the bloggers' right whether to write for a price or not.

I think the question is not about rights.On the ethical front, it's not just about our rights especially the decisions we make affect others as well. Others who make a living with a pen.

btw i forgot to add that i never read monster blog at all.

Yes they are probably being exploited. I think they all have been bought already. : (

But not much difference over here, Jeff. This is my opinion about your blog, and I hope you can work and improve on this. No point calling us names or labelling us jealous when we try to give you feedback. Unless you don’t value your readers' opinion?

Where is the value add at your site now – today in 2006? SMS contests? Most of the main content are plucked from other news outlets. Apart from that, there are pertandingan SMS, photos and pantun. And then we have items from Little Birds.

What do your little birds get when they write to you? They write to you, providing scoops. Some probably risk their jobs and reputation when they whistleblow. And what do they get out of it? Nothing probably, except to them, it is community service.

Meanwhile you have your other sources of income, indirectly attributable to your blog. Like LG and CNET. And through this blog you have developed a brand name for yourself.

At the end of the day, just like the Monsterbloggers, what do these people get in return, when you and Monsterblog get to develop your brand names and earn some other extra income?

Maybe it's time for you yourself to reexamine your blog strategy. With regards to discussions, I think it is better at Monsterblog than it is here – at least there, editors don’t slam you when you disagree (although they block your comments hah!). With regards to scoops, you usually repeat Malaysiakini. With regards to new ideas, other intellectuals like Kit Siang, Bakri Musa etc. are more inspiring. If I want to get an issue heard, it’s easier to write to Star blogs and hopefully they publish it in print. With regards to "gossip", where else but Malaysia Today. Local governments - Nades kicksass. Editorials by the Sun and the Edge are more inspiring (if you have the capacity to read through the logic and assumptions, and are willing to be not so jealous of Guna). And likewise Kadir Jasin and RockyBru have better “analysis” (nowadays anyone can write “analysis”), although I know they are also working for some other taikos.

You don’t have to call us cowardly, jealous, negative or any other names if you disagree. I never called you any names. Just as you keep the press accountable, your readers would like to keep you accountable too.

JEFF OOI says: Don't act like politicians who evade questions and divert attention. I believe blogger Midnite Lily has put up a thought, valid thought about NST and Jaring being big commercial giants who don't pay their bloggers and NOT about individual blogs who CAN'T pay their informants. If you care for this subject, please at least pay due respect to Midnite Lily who put up a brave thought -- rather than succumb to the climate of fear of backfires -- as the key subject is whether big giants like NST and jaring are stifling the growth of the local, home-bred creative content industry, where budding writers need to feed themselves with words they craft out from their keyboards. Please ignore this if it's beyond your intellect, which your comment clearly shows.

I agree and disagree with Zain Hamzah.

I disagree that Monster Blog inviting and posting articles by a pool of bloggers, without monetary compensation is exploitation.

There are other means of compensation, most notably the increase in popularity and hits these bloggers get from Monster Blog. Monster is advertised on NST, which attracts viewers, who may then check out these bloggers. If these bloggers have advertising etc on their blogs, they are then indirectly making money that way.

The increased popularity also makes the blogger into a personality, which then could lead to special appearences at forums, sponsorship to conferences and so on. At the end of the day, most of us blog so that people will read what we write, and Monster Blog helps does do that.

I agree however, that if what Monster Blog is doing is considered exploitation, then so is what happens on this esteemed pioneering blog. The basic principle applies; one person is making money by channeling out data provided by other people, for which they receive no monetary compensation.

How large the company is does not matter, the financial compensation can be proportional to the income generated (like Google giving out little bits of money for little sites that host little ads).

That said, I think it would be interesting to know whether Jeff Ooi thinks Monster Blog is exploiting bloggers or not.

Finally I think it was uncalled for for Jeff Ooi to label Zain Hamzah as having low intellect. There is no way he can know that without running an empirical test (Blog Comment Analysis methods simply don't stand up to scrutiny), and making that bullish comment borders on slander.