Jump to content

Proposal:The german Wikipedia should remain advertisement-free

From Strategic Planning
Status (see valid statuses)

The status of this proposal is:
Request for Discussion / Sign-Ups

Every proposal should be tied to one of the strategic priorities below.

Edit this page to help identify the priorities related to this proposal!


  1. Achieve continued growth in readership
  2. Focus on quality content
  3. Increase Participation
  4. Stabilize and improve the infrastructure
  5. Encourage Innovation



Summary

The german Chapter wants to sell space on the mainpage to sponsors. This is against our basic Standards and should be stopped.


Proposal

We have had the amusement of finding out, that the german chapter will sell space on the main page to sponsors [1]. This has not been the first surprise by the chapter. One year ago, the chapter has announced, that Bertelsmann, a company, which works against everything we work for will publish a printed shortcut of the german wikipedia. This decission has caused terrible rage among the Community. As we can see now, the chapter has not changed its mind and keeps working far away from the interest of the community.

Some parts of the community have come to the idea, that the german chapter is unable to perform its task. The budget from 2008 looks like a complete disaster and shows, that the responsibles are unable to run such an institution.

Things came even worse, when it became public, that the german chapter runs a project about regrowing resources and pays members of the chapter and persons who are related to the chapter for working in that project.

As far as I can see, the current responsibles seem t be unable to perform their task and I am afraid, that some of them might abuse their position to take benefits out of their situation.

The german chapter does not represent the community. Accidents like the idea of advertisment on the main page are going to repeat, if the responsibles wont be removed.

Motivation

Key Questions

Is the german Chapter able to act in the Interest of Wikipedia and its authors?

Potential Costs

None, Money could be saved if someone would prevent the german chapter from spending 40 000 Euro for advertisments and food, 27 000 Euro for travelling costs and 120 000 Euros for staff we dont see.

References

The budget of the german Chapter in 2008 [2]

A notice about the Sale of space on the main page [3]



Community Discussion

Do you have a thought about this proposal? A suggestion? Discuss this proposal by going to Proposal talk:The german Wikipedia should remain advertisement-free.

See Also Proposal:Users Can Choose to Take Advertising

Want to work on this proposal?

  1. .. Sign your name here!