The two situations just aren’t analogous.

The issues is not that you’re denying or hiding something. It’s just that your logic seems… well, illogical.

I’ll beat a dead horse and then I’ll let this go.

This type of coverage seems very “tabloid” to me.

These are difficult economic times for even the most stable of industries, let alone our fledgling online video industry.

It is enormously difficult to start something, fund it, risk time and money, and obtain sponsorship.

I had to leave LiveStock – a promising Mogulus show I produced – because of the dismal prospect of ever seeing a return on my investment.

When someone does get sponsorship, we should see this as a good sign – not attack it.

How are we going to be able to work in online video if we discourgae the very kind of sponsorship we need?

Let’s work together on our ecosystem.

Chuck Boyce
shameless plug: http://www.chuckboycesolutions.net

How much money can we possibly be talking about here that Sarah’s recieving?

I bet it’s not as much as some dinner’s I have paid for me by IT vendors back when I was a “internationally recognized database expert”.

Does a vlogger have to mention every single partnership, meal, t-shirt, backpack?

Go ahead and make a big fuss about this if you want, but it’s a distraction and it hurts a field that can’t even pay its practitioners enough to cover their expenses let alone their rents.

I disagree with your characterization of the situation.

There is nothing unethical about someone in a VERY tough field (if you even want to call it that) in a city with $2500 a month rents accepting sponsorship.

Where is the “ethical fix”?

Chuck

Thanks for your thoughtful comments, but I’d have to disagree. We have written countless posts on independent producers coming up with creative ways to make money. But in this instance, this question over ethics was already playing out in public and raised an interesting question. I think to deny or hide that would have been a disservice to our readers.

I love NTV on Om without exception, but this story just isn’t helpful to our “industry”. Sarah found someone to partner and support her. NTV should write a story about how that is good – not an “ethical fix”. If you want to cover ethics, why don’t you turn your focus to the people trying to “work” in this industry who are being exploited. That’s an ethical fix. Here’s a good place to start your research: http://newyork.craigslist.org/tfr/

Chuck Boyce
chuckboycesolutions.net
2008 Microsoft Digital Media MVP

If she’s badmouthing the other services and she’s getting paid by Flixwagon, then yes, that’s a clear conflict of interest and it should be disclosed immediately.

Of course now that your secret is out, Sarah, I recommend you embrace it. Even make fun of it.