Having run advertising-supported websites myself for several years, I’m appreciative of the need to run ads and get reader clickthroughs. And the mass media is struggling to figure out a sustainable business model. But some of the ads are getting to be too much. Take this one at The Hill:
No, not the banner ad on the top. Or the 300×300 atop the right sidebar. Or even the 300×300 stuck in the middle of the top content. No, I’m talking about the pop-over ad that actually covers the article text.
And, no, you can’t simply close it. No, that would be bad enough. Instead you have to hover over it, find the close button, and chase the close button around. Oh, and the ad still doesn’t close!
Given that there are millions of sites online that provide news content, I’m guessing that I won’t be going back here. If they report something interesting, I’m sure someone will pass it on elsewhere.
