Of course, that opens up a lot of issues. Feeds are highly data-centric; there is no site chrome, just pure content. There is no sensible way to place ads other than to make ads into content. It seems that the only viable strategies in the long term are sponsorship or patronage arrangements, where either readers or vendors pay the content producer direcly. Of course, a sponsorship arrangement where the content producer actively cheerleads a product raises questions about neutrality.

I don’t know how things will shake out in the end, but I know that the traditional advertisement format does not work. The internet is a great enabler for reducing middle men and serving the long tail; advertising will inevitably have to follow.