a widespread belief that building a media company is how a programmer can "make it" - I've noticed that too, and I think it's bollocks.
It's much smarter to go after a niche market where you can easily make milliions instead of shooting for the one in a million chance that you'll make the next facebook. Chances are you won't.
I'd love to read a book styled along the lines of "The Millionaire Next Door". Call it "The Entrepreneur in the Woodwork" - profiles/statistics on eBook sellers, ISVs (especially niche business apps), niche site owners, niche iPhone app studios, the mythical highly profitable subscription sites (salsabootcamp.com is one), the gadget blogs that make mint from affiliate links (coolest-gadgets.com), maybe even some non mainstream blogs. Cap the success level though - no outliers - Leave out the JohnChow.com Adwords or Dooce.com anomalies.
I think it might be hard to find these people to interview though. Domain records and traffic stats and presence can be false starts.
Especially a niche enterprise market. Consumers are fickle and frugal. Companies are looking for a way to do more while paying less. A lot of times, what is "less" to them is a huge amount to you.
It's much smarter to go after a niche market where you can easily make milliions instead of shooting for the one in a million chance that you'll make the next facebook. Chances are you won't.