In my opinion the real problem can be Innovation is valued less then incentivized activity. Tell me im wrong but let me make my case.
Over the last 4 years Promos in some form have truly run the Traffic exchange activity.
I bet you can name 20+ promos you have seen or surfed in the last year. I loved the Benji bash I used to do with Tony T and the Krm Crew. Ever surfed 150 pages at any other site to be in a drawling? ….
That is incentivized activity in its basic form.
Now name 2 major innovations that have come to a traffic exchange in the last year?
Can you name at least one?
Innovation is not as easy. Often its expensive costing hundreds if not thousands and takes lots of time. The contrast is incentivized activity instead of $5 grand prize give $10. And takes little or no time.
Innovation is hard to explain some times. In contrast incentivized activity is as easy as sending a basic email telling people you weekly give away is bigger.
Innovation is painful with bugs, errors, or scaling to size. Incentivized activity is a 
splash edit.
I can do this for days because innovation has so many more elements that are challenging to do and implement. The fastest easiest way to spark movement is incentivized activity. And if no one is doing it its cheap too.
SO here is the second problem. If everyone is used to driving an automatic 2009 Honda Accord. Imagine the pure frustration when you have a 6 Speed manual 2009 Mercedes Benz S55 AMG. And you want to explain why and how your Car has so many unique features, But all the drivers want is Cup holders, a cd player, and to push the gas.
The example is any exchange script. Its an amazing car. And everyone knows how to use everyone after the first with very little need for acclamation from one trim package to another.
Innovation is the most rewarding tools if you can explain it in easy and its easy to use. But if you pursue incentivized activity you are going to be competing with hundreds of other Honda Accord drivers.
Final point cost, ease of use, implementation, time, and ROI are why innovations keep losing out to incentivized activity. But for Traffic exchanges to take back their identity they have to innovate. More money time and effort needs to be taken from incentivized activity to make this happen.
I will be focusing on innovation going forward.