Rodent Regatta

MAKING MONEY WITH A WEBLOG
Is the lone banner ad at the top the only source of revenue?

DRUDGE REPORT nears 5,000,000 daily visitors: ”The front page of the DRUDGE REPORT was viewed 4,997,679 times on Tuesday—marking an all-time high in its 7-year history.” [From the Desktop of Dane Carlson]

What are the dynamics of making money with a site such as this? Who is paying Matt Drudge? Can that lone banner at the top fund him? What are 5,000,000 viewings worth? How does that translate to unique individuals?
What threshold must a weblog achieve to support it’s writer/curator?