The more popular RootsWeb becomes, the more costly it is to simply stay alive and online. Expenses continue to exceed revenue. We ran up a truly scary loss last year. Without outside help, it's not clear how long we'd be able to go on like this. They're excited to provide the financial stability we need to ensure RootsWeb will be around for years to come.
Someone has to pay for it.
If genealogists aren't willing to pay subscription fees to offset costs, then advertising is the alternative. Online genealogy libraries don't have any tax dollars supporting them. As web site producers become more adept in this new medium, they need to figure out ways to wean themselves from subscription or membership fees. Television, radio, newspapers and magazines have run on this basis since their inception. Genealogy researchers have typically shied away from unsightly commercialism.