Other business models will emerge though. For example, charging per access or for length of usage. We don't yet know what kinds of Internet services people want to pay for on a variable basis, but we will find out as soon as an accepted way of billing for it emerges. Methods of billing very small amounts of money to individual audience members are just getting off the ground. Advertisers are an accidental target for this misplaced concern.
People naively think advertising revenue is why media content gets dumbed down.
Editors and publishers are just trying to please as many people as they can while they're meeting their deadlines. They have to avoid alienating significant sections of their audience. In my opinion that's what happens whether the publication's business is supported by advertising or not. Maybe the diversity of the Web will allow, or force, publications to maintain a more narrow editorial philosophy. Remember, the best audience response each rant will receive a FREE Spike Webb t-shirt.