Reader Revenue Manager

is this just bait to trick us into thinking there's news about google reader?

This is 'Reader Revenue Manager' from Google, not a 'Revenue Manager' for 'Google Reader'.

I am perpetually mystified by the engagement-industrial complex.

If I want to be "engaged" by some form of media, I keep the tab open until I consume it. Either that or it ends up in Pocket, where I might happen upon it on the next visit to getpocket.com/random.

Newsletters slamming into my inbox means it's just going to get lost in the noise -- context-switching notwithstanding (though probably the biggest factor), I can't imagine being so unimaginative that my curated media intake consists solely of ~5 sources who are trying to shove their often clicks-driven (thus intellectually compromised) content into my awareness.

There's an argument that newsletters are for those creators whom you just can't get enough of, and the other more serendipitous/algo-driven content in your feeds can be a more diffused supplement to the core offerings. And sure it just comes down to who prefers what. But contending with the constant onslaught of newsletter banners/modals/whatever pushes me to throw the baby out with the bathwater. There's enough creators out there that don't do that that it's actually a premium when I'm not constantly assailed by nudges, etc.

What's wrong with not needing a developer to implement something?