Here is an explanation directly from google. http://adwords.google.com/support/aw/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=134761
Thanks tom11011...so NOW something else comes to mind...after reading through that, isn't there a feature in our account that allows each of use to allow ads on ad networks? I forget what it's called...but I am wondering about that setting and what the best feature for it to choose is? remember that function? It allows you to choose from "ad networks" or something? I wonder if that has an impact on "s-p"? I ask all this, after seeing a humongous drop in average daily earnings....I mean, I have adsense throughout 51 or 52 sirtes and it's a bit ridiculous to see your earnings averaging a whopping $5 per day...really makes you wonder what is going on behind the scenes....
It's funny you asked that, I posed the same question yesterday (do a search of my posts). What I can tell you is the partner ads are on by default, you have to shut them off. But the question is should you. My understanding from google is that by allowing other ad networks, it should make it more competitive which would drive the prices of the ads up. Hopefully, this would trickle down to us.
Tom: Maybe big G started S-P'ing everyone and those of us who started taking noticed, began to post....thus the irony! Great minds think alike they say (ha!)...in any case, where in our AdSense account do we go to adjust the allowing of other ad networks? Doi you recall? I'm mixed up in that area!
When I went to login to check my earnings, it was a message from google right at the top of the screen. You should have it too.