• by January 4, 2002

What good can be said about 2001 except that it's over. In response to the question "How is it going?" my standard reply this quarter has been "Horrible." But, I add quickly, I didn't complain while business was going up and I'm not going to complain while business is going down. I have the continued growth of Internet audience numbers to strengthen and comfort me.

I am looking forward to 2002, although my Board has tempered my enthusiasm by reminding me recently that I was predicting a turnaround in the second half of 2001 at this time last year. Maybe business will be better, maybe it won't, but I have resolved some things for the New Year whether business goes up, down or sideways. Here are my resolutions:

1. I will stop characterizing media as either "online" or "offline." Or, for that matter, as "traditional," or "new." I sell advertising on the Internet, which is an established component of the daily news and entertainment diet of millions of people.

2. I will not pay more than $25 to attend another panel discussion whose participants are affiliated with AOL, MSN, or Yahoo. And, there are probably a few others too, all part of the same traveling Internet circus. Honestly, we need some fresh actors here, preferably ones that reflect something of the diversity and scope of the marketplace.

3. I will sell the value of the Internet audience. Clearly the Internet offers people something in addition to what they see, hear or read elsewhere. I will make a point of focusing on what people get out of the Internet and represent that as the principle source of value for my advertisers.

4. I will not mistreat banners. The banner is the workhorse of Internet advertising and it will remain so because it helps reconcile advertiser to audience. It is polite. It can be placed in context and it can remain in context surrounded by content. It can flash confidently, but it is not a boor.

5. I will put the audience first. I will not sell things that I know unnecessarily intrude on the Internet user's business for being there (which I understand because it is my job to understand) and, if I do, I will charge greatly for it in order to reinforce the value of my product and the importance of that user to my advertisers.

6. I will understand my advertisers' media planning objectives overall and find my place in it such that it adds value. And, I will not complain about spending on other media or slow adoption rates or the imposition of standard measurement practices. Audiences integrate media everyday. So can I.

7. I will try and rally support among the millions of independent web publishers (those that don't also have their own magazine or TV show) for the efforts of the IAB, OPA and/or other industry representatives. Initially, I'll recommend that the IAB and OPA cut their annual membership rates to $100 from minimums of $5,000 and $20,000 respectively in order to make membership approachable for the vast majority of Internet publishers. This would have the benefit of reinforcing the extraordinary reach and diversity of the media, and surely help grow membership, which currently stands at a combined 50 members in the U.S. between the IAB and OPA (according to their websites). I think it would be stimulating if the annual IAB meeting were held in, say, The Los Angeles Coliseum. Who wouldn't want to be a panelist under those circumstances?

8. I like Tom Hespos and Jim Meskauskas very much as people. But, I need a break from their columns in 2002. I don't feel the same about them as panelists, however.

9. I will not launch a wireless business. Because I don't get it - yet.

10. I will keep the long view. I resolve not to try and get it all done at once this year and acknowledge that as we enter our seventh year of business we are only at the beginning. Which is fine, because I wouldn't want to do anything else right now, anyway.

G. Jarvis Coffin III is a co-founder of BURST!, the advertising network for specialty content web publishers. Prior to joining BURST!, Coffin was the Director of National Advertising at the Los Angeles Times, Vice President of Sales at Business Week, and Director of Northeastern Sales at USA Today.