Don't worry, it has nothing to do with leaks or anything like that. Ads should be made to sell, not just put up for the sake of putting something in an empty space
A banner with nothing that entices me to signup or sparks my curiosity about the sponsor site is a waste, in my opnion.
Also remember that a surfers attention span isn't too long. If they see something that catches their eye, they might read the next line.
I saw that you edited your post, so I think you kinda got what I was getting at