Dive Brief: 

• Link generators like Taboola, Outbrain and Disqus are popular among publishers because they provide easy pay-per-click money—the publication receives payment each time a reader clicks to one of the outside content links the generator has provided. 
• Many reporters and editors feel that content ad links compromise their publication's integrity because they link to sub-par or irrelevant content; for example, a piece from The Atlantic on Obamacare carried such links as “The Latest In Gray Hair Solutions.”
• Conversely, there are editors like Slate's David Plotz who like the link generators because they offer a steady stream of revenue and readers seem to like the service. 

Dive Insight: 

It's a tough time for publishers. Revenue streams are difficult to find and competition is fierce. While some editors and journalists have a point about editorial integrity, the reality is that content ad links do drive easy revenue, and without revenue, the publication can't continue.