NOTE: Just a few corrected stats:
There are seven independent Saker blogs in total (original, Russian, French, German, Latin American, Oceania, Italian) in five languages (English, French, Russian, Italian, Spanish). It is hard to estimate how many people actually work on these blogs in total, but I would say that roughly 100 active members sounds right to me. I am also trying to get some reliable figures the number of pages read by unique visitors each day and this is much harder than one would think, but here are some very tentative figures (just for this blog) for yesterday:
This is a very rough and inaccurate figure. The real number of unique visitors that day was probably way below the “total requests” and somewhat higher than the “unique visitors” shown here. The tool used here is GoAccess which has many limitations. On blogger my very best was 70’000+ one day, in the middle of the combats in the Ukraine and the worst around 20’000+ but we cannot compare the way Blogger, GoAccess and, say, Piwik define and measure unique visitors. So there is this “comparing apples and oranges” problem happening now. For whatever it’s worth, judging by the comments, emails, etc. I would say that the new blog is as active now (in relative peace time) as it was when events were “hot” last year. I discussed this issue with some members of the IT team and we will try to identify some useful and less ambiguous solution.
The Saker
Congrats to everyone involved and viewers as well
K
I am glad about the German development.
If the American government reads this……….see the “Name”.
Interesting talk. Especially about Germans not believing the media lies about the Ukraine.
Congratulations Saker!
Regarding the comments about German media, I concur: It is viciously anti-russian.
Even the respected “Der Spiegel” is full of stereotypes and anti-Putin propaganda. Not sure the speaker is right about “Germans seeking out alternative media sources”. I have the feeling they very much like their mainstream media…
People still haven’t stomached the seventy years old message: Germany isn’t a sovereign nation! No constitution! Only a provisional Grundgesetz. Legally, still an occupied Nation. Ok?
All employees of all big German media corporations sign a contract to never portray NATO in a less than favorable light! Ok?
Get that, people. And stop whining.
Good!
Very good news.
Also, so far your moderators are doing a very professional job, they allow thru comments even ones highly critical of this site or a given article, which reflects on the maturity, increasing professionalism and self-confidence of the site and it’s team. I’ve found them to be quite fair and mature. This helps readers develop respect for the site (for having the balls to print critical comments) and keeps many from being alienated away from the site. I’ll bet that this also contributes to the growing readership. Of course, one should recognize that Saker’s contribution for excellent his analysis on many topics, and as importantly, the core culture and philosophy he has set for this blog.
Your moderation policy and articles have lead to a readership that’s made up of some very bright and unusual minds, mining the comments for additional info is half the fun and value of this site.
Congrats to the entire Saker team.
Signed,
3 Cents
Observer
Mirror
While-do-Loop
For-Loop
Forever Loop
and my other aliases.
@”five languages (English, French, Russian, Italian, Spanish).”
You forgot German. So it is 6 languages.
All good on the face of it, and I was glad to hear tribute to the Saker. BUT…
1) While I certainly understand Mr. Bausman’s surprise and delight at the unexpected success of Russia Insider, I think he’s just a wee bit too dismissive of the alternative news sites that, as he rightfully says, they “use.” Maybe it’s just my biases creeping in, but while he credits the alternatives (the three he can remember without his notes), he seems to put himself in a category above, because he’s got the business model, the venture capitalists calling in anticipation of the next HuffPo, blahblah.
Although RI is beginning to do some original analysis, it still so far is an aggregator and would be NOTHING if it weren’t for the alternative news sites whose content it has used for free. Moreover, by running articles from other sites in their entirety, RI has cheated them out of readership. Even though they link to the original story, who’s going to click on it after they’ve read the whole thing? Consortium News and the Saker depend on donations to survive, and for that, they need the readership. And FWIW, Moon of Alabama has been around for a decade. Ironically, it was started because Billmon, an American and the Saker of his day, got burned out and closed his blog, leaving his community in need of a new home.
2) Venture capitalists are CAPITALISTS. Mr. Bausman didn’t say he was going to take them up on their offer, and RI is about to get their Kickstarter funds, so this may not be an issue. But just in case: Venture capitalists tend to want an ROI, which means you have to make money, and that’s going to be by selling advertising, which in turn means tailoring your content to appeal to the right consumer market, etcetera ad nauseam. Another possibility is finding a rich sugar daddy on a mission. We know how that went for the Intercept.
3) He does say nice things about the Saker … AS WELL HE SHOULD! The Saker Community is an international phenomenon. It was only a matter of time before someone tried to figure out the formula and how it could be “monetized.” The only problem is … well, there is only ONE SAKER. For that reason, it’s presumptuous for Mr. Bausman to say that his experience was “parallel” to the Saker’s. Sorry, sir, but the Saker built up a following based on original content that could not be found anywhere else, because the Saker is one of a kind.
I know there are many here who appreciate RI, and I may be a minority of one. This is just my two cents.
Yes, and Saker’s been going it alone since 2008…not just 1 and a half years….but even so, Charles is a delight…what a great human soul
yes, Saker and your blog is consolidating too.
This was a fabulous talk by Charles…what a delightful guy…such good taste in clothes too….my my my.
And I’m so happy to hear what he said about Germany…the great German Folk Spirit is at work in the world again….and I have heard that in creative alternative finance Germany is way out ahead…
Saker, I’m so proud to be part of this ‘we can change the world’ movement….
Love Ann
Seems I had the name wrong all this time. So, Saker is pronounced sā-kər (6:36) and not seɪkə?
No Anon, listen to a podcast…its Saker with a hard A….like in ape