If you're a frequent reader of VIN you'll notice that there's something missing there recently. News. I mean news from our very own Heimishe community. They have plenty of news that most Heimishes don't care about, like what some fashion designer said, or whether or not Newt is gonna run for POTUS, but not the news that many relied on VIN to bring. Why last week alone there were two stories in 2 days that a while ago would've made it onto the website and would've garnered 100s of comments, and nary a word on Vos Iz Neias about it! Not even with initials, and not even without the names. Nothing. It never happened. That's just one example. There are lots more. You'll also notice that the ads may not speak to you or advertise products or services that you require. No more Artscroll and Chinese Auction banners from frum organizations flashing away. All you see now is Zev Brenner, Dov Hikind and ads by non-"BP/Williamsburg/Lakewood groups." See for yourself, don't take my word for it. Lots of Israeli ads from the Dati Leumi sector, Lubavitch and affiliates like Kol Menachem, and small time businesses selling their services. Lubavitch is a bit behind the times here - they'll figure it out soon. But gone are the big ones. And it's not by accident, my friends. Oh, and Rabbi Dr. Twerski too. But that's it.
We all laughed when they banned it a few months ago, saying that it'll never work, that the cat's outta the bag, the horse has left the barn, the ketchup's outta the bottle. We thought that the Lipa concert ban back in '08 was the proof that bans never work. All the pundits told us so, and they thought that this was the last cry of the zealot. But we underestimated the fact that there are lots of people with time on their hands that have no problem harassing advertisers, telling that the Rabbonim will come out against them for advertising with VIN. I speak from experience with at least organization that was harassed and maybe even threatened that if they do not take down their ad from that site that the Rabbonim will be informed, and that the Mossad will lose its Rabbinic protection - which it very much needs, due to the nature of the activities that it engages in. Sure enough the ad was down soon after that phone call. They too were not aware of the fact that K"K was a serious one, and that the site was being watched by "Askoonim." It was that incident that made me pay attention more to the news and advertising content of VIN, and I soon saw what any of you can see, if only you pay attention closely.
So the fact that they ignored two "juicy" scandals - and I won't tell you what they were - tells me that they've noticed too, and that they're paying attention. They didn't just "miss them." But I believe that it's too late now. I say that they'll never recover. Check the stories they bring; they hall have 0-5 comments, no more. It's all cut and paste now from the AP and other news agencies, and most people don't need VIN for that, they have all the news sites, and even the squeaky clean Yeshiva World and Matzav for that. With readership down advertising rates will go down, and that'll be that. So we can clearly say and see that the kanoyim have won. VIN made lots of enemies over the last few years with all the scandals that he printed and allowed in the comments, and they'll find very few sympathetic ears to their cries. I would not be surprised if some his victims were the ones that spearheaded the campaign. So you heard here first, folks. Remember that when he closes up shop some time soon.
I'm out.
