Hausfrau Speaks-What is Examiner.com?

WHO/WHAT IS THE EXAMINER?

A question arose a few days ago.  "Just WHO/WHAT is the "Examiner"?  

When I lived near San Francisco, I read the Sunday Edition of the San Francisco Examiner; here on the East Coast,  I pick up a copy of the Washington (DC) Examiner.  Almost EVERYone has heard of or is familiar with The Examiner Newspapers, it has the same name recognition as "The Daily Planet"!  But, Examiner.com is NOT the same as either award-winning newspapers, although they are "distant cousins".

I'll try not to get too detailed here, but, what I understand, ANSCHUTZ CORP and affiliates Anchutz Company are part of the diversified investment interests owned by Philip ANSCHUTZ.  

Anschutz investments, holdings and wholly owed subsidiaries are more complicated than a nine-armed octopus, and I was confused after reading no more than two paragraphs detailing their venture capital, minority stakes and media stakes. (After all, I'm just a drunken hausfrau!). This conglomerate owns examiner.com through its ownership of CLARITY MEDIA.

(Clarity Digital Group d/b/a examiner.com)

Examiner.com is an online media company that maintains a network of websites.  They allow "pro-am" "contributors" access to "share their city-based knowledge" on a blog platform. "Professional Amateurism" is a mix of professionals and amateurs within any group, in this case, writers.

Generally, "pro-am" writers are within the groups who have more leisure time; housewives, retirees and the unemployed who have the time to pursue hobbies and other interests.  Examiner.com calls their pro-am writers "Examiners"; they are NOT professional journalists who must follow the ethics and rules that professional journalists are bound to follow.

The Society if Professional Journalists is the largest journalism organization within the profession.  The 100 year old Society is dedicated to "stimulating high standards and ethical behavior in the practice of journalism and perpetuating a free press." The Society also states "ethical journalism strives to ensure the free exchange of information that is accurate, fair and thorough. An ethical journalist acts with integrity!

JUST WHO ARE "EXAMINERS" ?

Examiner.com do not call their writers "reporters", "journalists", etc.  The individuals who provide content for Examiner.com are called "examiners".

From the Examiner.com website, they define "examiners" as:

• Credible, passionate and knowledgeable writers and local subject matter insiders/experts who contribute unique content to entertain, inform and inspire their readers.
• Photographers who provide captivating images or slideshows for their audience,
• Active within their communities.
• Diverse and come from all walks of life and professions, including seasoned journalists, college students, civil servants, retirees, musicians, physicians, stay-at-home parents even PhDs.
• Over the age of 18
• Residents of the city/edition in which they write. (i.e.:i.f you live in Canada, you'd write about Canada, not Arizona)
• Real people who have passed a background check.
• INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS who retain copyright for their work and adhere to the TERMS OF USE
• Are able to stop being an Examiner at any time
• Never charged fees for being an Examiner
• Paid via PAYPAL
• Part of the largest network of online subject mater insiders

ANYONE can provide content for examiner.com! 

There are several basic rules any writer should use, whether the article or content is for print or Internet.  Usually these basics are learned in the first journalism class a writer takes, but with so many amateurs writing blog content who have never attended college, I will touch on a few of them here:

• NAME YOUR SOURCES--It's the old "He said, She said".  In naming sources, you lend credibility to your story and demonstrate your professionalism.  Only use "SHIELD LAW" when if divulging the identity of the source would put them at risk of harm!
• PROTECT YOUR SOURCES--Avoid the use of "confidential sources" whenever possible!  Attributing information to unnamed sources inhibits your reader's ability to assess the credibility of your article, and by extension YOU!  Use of the "shield law" should be the EXCEPTION, NOT the rule!  If utilizing the "shield law", sources should not be revealed to even co-workers or supervisors. You can be imprisoned for refusing to divulge sources if a judge orders you to do so in a court of law, so you must be prepared to protect your source at all costs. Use "shield law" only for stories of SIGNIFICANT public interest and importance.  **Please see addendum at bottom of page.
• BE OBJECTIVE/OFFER BALANCE--True journalism should be void of all OPINION.  Your readers will appreciate that your content is objective.  Opinion should be printed in the Op-Ed sections, not as a news article.  Get information from ALL sides!  If the opposing side is unable or unwilling to talk, make a note of that in your piece. 
• AVOID CONFLICT OF INTEREST--if you have a close tie to the source in your story, make that known.  For it to come out later, readers will suspect your reliably and integrity.  Friends have no place in yout content. Give the best you have!  Don't allow your reputation be tarnished by something foolish and that could have been avoided.
• GET IT RIGHT--take your time, verify sources, don't allow the pressure of deadlines jeopardize your integrity.  It is better to be ACCURATE than it is to be FIRST.
• GET THE FACTS--NO FACTS, NO story.  DONT "wing" it!
• KEEP IT CLASSY--Do not allow yourself to be pulled into one side or the other.  Don't get angry, don't get nasty, and most important, watch what you say and how you say it. If you are a respected journalist or blogger, you have the ability to influence your readers, when you lose your temper, you lose the respect you've worked so hard to acquire.
• KEEP YOUR PERSPECTIVE--Don't believe everything that you are told.  Confirm your source's sources! Having "Well that's what I was told!" or "I was just reporting what someone else said!" as an excuse for poor writing taints your integrity. It's YOUR by-line, so it is YOUR job to get out of your chair and go chase the story.  If you verify, verify, verify, you won't have to retract, apologize and look foolish!
• RECORD KEEPING--Record interviews, take notes and keep the files. Woodward and Bernstein used their notes later to write "All the President's Men."  Notes cannot be made "after-the-fact"!
• WRITING PYRAMID--All stories start with a good headline, an introductory paragraph, then followed by the story containing the supporting information.  Go back to your English 101, Rhetoric Writing classes; use an outline and cover all the important supporting arguments.
• SPELLCHECK--Please remember to run spellcheck prior to publishing your content.  There is nothing that hurts you more than misspelled words or the wrong tense used in sentences. Always remember that you are a professional!  Poorly written articles filled with typographic errors, errors in punctuation, grammatical errors and errors in syntax will will say more about you  than you realize.
• FINALIZE--Read your story OUTLOUD to yourself.  This will assist you in finding syntax errors, or poorly worded sentence structure. Use a thesaurus if you discover you are over utilizing the same words or phrases.  Build your vocabulary!

One last recommendation--NEVER STOP LEARNING!  Whether you've been writing for five days or five decades, there is still more to learn!  There are writing classes available at your local community colleges, or Universities and workshops all over the country!  Join professional organizations and local groups to become more aware of current issues and current laws.  Remember, you are never too thin or too smart!

SELECTED QUOTES FROM EXAMINER.COM TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

Each INDEPENDANT CONTRACTOR who provides content to examiner.com does so under a strict TERMS OF USE.  While not an integral part of this article, it does prove to be interesting reading.  I've included only the Chapters and sub chapters relevant  to someone who chooses to write under the examiner.com umbrella..  Examiner.com seems to have a comprehensive "TERMS OF USE"!

"5. USER-SUBMITTED CONTENT

Any Content uploaded, posted, submitted, or otherwise made available by individual users of the Site, including without limitation articles or other submissions by Examiners, comments to articles, classified or self-service advertisements, or other Content which does not originate with Examiner.com ("User Content"), is the sole responsibility of the person who made such User Content available on the Site. Under no circumstances will Examiner.com be liable in any way for any User Content made available through this Site by you or any third party.  (Emphasis mine)

Since Examiner.com does not control the User Content posted on the Site, it does not guarantee the truthfulness, integrity, suitability, or quality of that User Content, and it does not endorse such User Content. You also agree and understand that by accessing the Site, you may encounter Content that you may consider to be objectionable. Examiner.com has no responsibility for any User Content, including without limitation any errors or omissions therein. The Examiner.com Parties are not liable for any loss or damage of any kind incurred as a result of any User Content on the Site.

User Content is owned by the author thereof, and Examiner.com does not claim ownership of original works created and posted by individual visitors to this Site. However, by uploading, posting, transmitting or otherwise making any User Content available on or through this Site, you are granting Examiner.com, and its parent, subsidiaries, affiliates, and other related entities an irrevocable, nonexclusive, perpetual, royalty-free, transferrable, sublicensable, worldwide license to copy, reproduce, modify, publish, display, distribute publicly, perform, exploit, and prepare derivative works of such User Content (including your name, image, likeness, or information you have made publicly available in connection therewith) in any manner, media or format now existing or hereafter devised, without any obligation of notice, attribution or compensation to you.

Examiner.com reserves the right (but has no obligation) in its sole discretion to pre-screen, edit, refuse, move or remove any Content that is posted on the Site. You agree that the exercise by Examiner.com of such discretion shall not convert or transform User Content to Content owned or provided by Examiner.com, and the user who made such User Content available on the Site will retain ownership thereof as described below.

6. Prohibited Content and Activities

You agree that you will not post to the Site, or use the Site to transmit or make available any Content that:

• violates any laws or regulations, contains any threats, is abusive, tortious, harassing, vulgar, obscene, indecent, violates any person's rights of privacy or publicity, is defamatory, libelous, hateful, contains any disparaging statements or opinions regarding racial, gender or ethnic background, or is otherwise objectionable; 
• infringes any intellectual property rights of any party, including, but not limited to any patent, trademark, trade secret, copyright or other proprietary rights; 
• contains any private information about an identifiable person without that person's permission, or any content soliciting any personal or private information from any individual; 
• you know or have reason to know is false, misleading, or fraudulent;
• you do not have a right to make available under any law or under contractual or fiduciary relationships (such as inside information or proprietary and confidential information learned or disclosed as part of employment relationships or under nondisclosure agreements); 
• contains any unauthorized advertising, promotional materials, or material which can be characterized as "junk mail," "spam," "chain letters," "pyramid schemes," "Ponzi schemes" or similar material, any request for or solicitation of money, goods, or services for private gain, or any information (other than advertisements approved by Examiner.com) posted primarily for advertising, promotional, or other commercial purposes; 
• incorporates within it any software viruses or any other computer code, files or programs whose purpose or function is to interrupt, destroy or otherwise impair the operability of any software or hardware or telecommunications equipment; 
• contains links to any websites containing content violating any of the foregoing requirements, or links to any websites for purposes of disrupting the operations of such website, harassing the owners of such website, or other objectionable or illegal purposes. 

You further agree not to use the Site to:

• engage in any click fraud or other unethical means of receiving payment based on any Content posted to our Site (including without limitation payment to third parties for non-human traffic to any Content on our Site); 
• engage in any conduct which might be harmful to any individual; 
• impersonate any person or entity or falsely state or otherwise misrepresent your affiliation with a person or entity; 
• engage in or facilitate any conduct that is deemed, or found by any court or similar agency, to constitute "stalking" or otherwise harassing conduct aimed at another person or entity; 
• engage in or transmit any material that encourages conduct that could constitute a criminal offense, give rise to civil liability or otherwise violate any applicable local, state, national, or international law or regulation.

In addition, you are prohibited from interfering with or disrupting the Site, or servers or networks connected thereto. 

8. Disclaimer Regarding Accuracy of Content

Much of the Content on the Site, including without limitation User Content, has been provided by or obtained from parties other than Examiner.com. For example, content posted by "Examiners" on our Site is written solely by the Examiners (who are independent third parties, not employees of Examiner.com, and not under the control or direction of Examiner.com) and is posted to the Site by the Examiners without review by Examiner.com. Examiner.com makes no representations or warranties as to the accuracy or reliability of any Content on the Site created or provided by third parties (including without limitation Examiners). Examiner.com makes no warranties or representations whatsoever with regard to any product or service provided or offered by any vendor on the Site (including without limitation advertisers on the Site and individuals or entities placing classified advertisements on the Site) and you acknowledge that any reliance on representations and warranties provided by any party other than Examiner.com shall be at your own risk. You expressly agree to hold Examiner.com harmless for any claims of damage arising from any information, advice, product or service provided or promoted by any third party, including without limitation the Examiners.

UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED ON THIS SITE, OPINIONS EXPRESSED ON THIS SITE ARE THOSE OF INDEPENDENT THIRD PARTY "EXAMINERS" OR OTHER CONTRIBUTORS TO OUR SITE, AND NOT OF EXAMINER.COM, AND ARE NOT ENDORSED BY ANY OF THE EXAMINER.COM PARTIES. INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON THIS SITE SHOULD NOT BE SUBSTITUTED FOR PROFESSIONAL ADVICE, AND YOU ARE ADVISED TO CONSULT YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER OR OTHER PROFESSIONAL AS APPLICABLE BEFORE ENGAGING IN ANY EXERCISE PROGRAM, MEDICAL TREATMENT, DIET MODIFICATION, OR TAKING ANY OTHER COURSE OF ACTION THAT COULD POTENTIALLY IMPACT YOUR HEALTH, FINANCIAL INTERESTS, OR WELL-BEING IN ANY OTHER MANNER.

On 9/12/13, the federal shield law bill (Free Flow of Information Act of 2013, S. 987) passed through the Senate Judiciary Committee, 13-5, and it included amended language defining who is entitled to reporter’s privilege. The definition is really broad, as it should be. It includes college journalists, freelancers, bloggers (particularly those with traditional legacy media experience in the past 20 years), anyone working for a “news website” and just about anyone else gathering information and disseminating it for the public good. It specifically excludes terrorists and there is language that would exclude groups like Wikileaks.

Shield Law also vary by State.  In the map below, White indicates No Shield Law,  Green indicates "Absolute Shield law" and Blue  indicates "qualified" or Shield Law containing exceptions.  Please consult a qualified attorney in your State or Country to determine the laws applicable to your specific situation.