Last week I had the pleasure of sitting on a panel at SXSW discussing "Humor and the Internet." As was the case with most of the panels, the conversation inevitably went to profitability. I posed the idea that content sites would soon offer subscriptions for readers, allowing them to pay an annual fee and in so doing, free the reader from being served the ever growing and more obnoixous ad banners and popups adorning the site.

Joey Anuff, of Suck and Plastic fame, pooh-poohed me, saying it wouldn't happen, and that advertising will remain the only viable means of revenue.

Well, I can't say yet whether he's right or wrong, but yesterday Salon announced they're going to try. $30 a year will get you Salon online, ad free.

The supreme irony of this whole thing is that the panel was created at the last minute to cover for David Talbot, the editor of Salon, who had to cancel!