google ads are a better alternative to the banners, but a big downside is that Google takes a fat cut of the commission… basically publishers flight google in their spare inventory… ie that which has not been sold yet, but they prefer to keep Google out of the picture if they can flight ads direct from the client…

have you seen how big the ads are on NY Times articles? I saw their biz development person speak somewhere in Europe… Prague I think and they were called block ads… soon to be seen on SA sites. lets hope not.