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Topic: Anyone heard of Examiner.com?
| Author | Message |
| Wordupz | Posted – 8/14/2008 2:08:03 PM | show profile | email poster Is anyone familiar with this blog? If so, can you provide general impressions? Thanks. |
| camper | Posted – 8/14/2008 6:09:26 PM | show profile There's a discussion of this on Gawker: http://gawker.com/5036143/newspaper-chain-launches-blogs-borrows-our-pay-system |
| aoscruggs | Posted – 8/16/2008 12:39:13 AM | show profile I wondered about them too I saw an ad on the job board at poynter.org. I didn't know about the Gawker posting. Thanks for sharing. |
| Wordupz | Posted – 8/17/2008 4:25:28 AM | show profile Examiner.com Gawker piece was interesting. Appreciate it very much. But I wondered if Examiner doesn't also represent another blog getting into their space (sort of, anyway -- it's content is somewhat different), and if that didn't skew the point of view of the article. If you read the comments of some of the readers, one in particular correctly points out that many of the criticisms Gawker slings at the Examiner are things it is itself guilty of... |
| candylilacs | Posted – 8/19/2008 8:18:23 AM | show profile A coworker of mine is doing it, he seemed to think it was viable for him (he also has a 70,000+ a month following.) Personally, I think unless you have a following it will be tough. If you look at the site, there's a bazillion people blogging about everything. It's difficult to stand out. But if you do, you could do very well. c. ------ Dealing with being laid off, so you don't have to! www.laidoffjournal.com |
| LA girl | Posted – 8/20/2008 6:02:41 PM | show profile a bit of 411 about this job 1) it's $2.50 per 1000 impressions and 2) as an independent contractor.. they are requiring that everyone undergo a full background/credit check. that's EVERYONE.. I find that incredible because even the big boys like Conde Nast don't require that.. and in certain states, it's illegal to require that and not tell people about it up front .. just a bit of 411 there. No credit/background check-- no job. given that identity theft is occurring to 9 million people a year, there is a concern handing over personal info to people I have never seen, know nothing about. |
| jmcintire | Posted – 8/25/2008 12:51:28 AM | show profile | email poster There is no credit check involved in the Examiner.com app. Hi, I can guarantee you that Examiner.com does not check your credit history. In fact, we try to go out of our way in our application process to make sure that fact is well known. We do require a criminal history background check. We look for felonies and sex offenses, and the reasoning is logical. Our Examiners get quite a bit of exposure: invites to appear on radio and television, opportunities to freelance for large publications/sites, and even book offers. With the level of exposure our Examiners get, we must do our best to be certain that the people we choose to represent us, well, aren't also on America's Most Wanted or talking to Chris Hanson over on a very special episode on MSNBC while they're chatting it up with Whoopi and the girls on The View. We also strive to ensure that our audience is protected from anyone who might try to use the Examiner.com platform to do harm or seek revenge. Our vetting process is simple and thorough, and our audience knows they can trust the Examiner brand as a reliable source of information from experts, enthusiasts, and professionals all across the country. To learn more about Examiner.com and our team of Examiners, please visit http://www.examiner.com/about_examiner/. - Joshua McIntire Examiner.com |
| freelancepants | Posted – 8/25/2008 2:13:12 PM | show profile | email poster I was contacted by a "headhunter" for Examiner.com I write a career blog for a daily paper (not on staff; freelance) and some headhunter-ish guy contacted me on behalf of Examiner.com promising "exposure" and fame and fortune and dancing naked firemen and that I'd be able fit into my skinny jeans again and god knows what else. I said I wasn't really interested in the pay-per-click or citizen journalism thing right now, but that if they were paying up front for each post I write (I know, I'm so old school -- so sue me), I was listening. I told him I already write nationally. And yes, I still need money. Don't we all... The Examiner rep responded by promising me the moon some more (at this point, I was just plain curious) before finally mentioning the $2.50 per 1000 impressions rate and then saying that some people would make an even higher rate but that the Examiner folks "weren't saying what it was at this time." Then he started spinning some fuzzy math and said something about how I'd have the potential to make $18,000 a month. Which is when I started laughing uncontrollably and had to end the call before I peed myself. I'm not saying this wouldn't be a good opportunity for a newer writer or a blogger looking to reach a larger audience, but for a full-time freelance writer who needs to pay the bills, this wasn't for me. BTW, during this process I was sent an application form from Examiner. You have to write a sample post on spec to apply for the gig. I'm just saying. |
| jmcintire | Posted – 8/25/2008 2:35:12 PM | show profile | email poster Curious. Hey, Freelancepants, I'm very curious who you spoke with regarding the payment structure. It is not our policy to promise the moon and stars, and while dancing naked firemen would be an interesting incentive . . . we try to take a realistic approach. Theoretically, if the moon and stars aligned, it could be entirely possible to earn $18k one month, however, it's not likely. Our Examiners use us as one additional source of income in a bevvy of opportunities - those that are motivated to write purely by monetary need. Some tell us they don't care if they're paid or not because they write for their communities or to educate people about their passion (but yes, they still get paid). Examiners are not your typical freelancers, but some freelancers are also Examiners (sorry for sounding like an SAT problem). We truly care about the people we bring aboard, and we want them to be successful. Once on the site, we promote their material, we advertise their expertise, and we teach them how to be successful web writers. Some are seasoned veterans and some need lots and lots of training, and we love providing it. At Examiner.com, we believe in the power of individuals who live where passion meets expertise, and we look to give those folks a voice, a platform, and all the help they need to reach their goals. We do require a sample post, yes, because, unlike a lot of sites, we care whether our Examiners can write, whether they know their subject matter, and frankly, whether they live up to the hype we intend to create around them. Those who make it onto the site use the sample post as their first post 95% of the time, making it very easy for them to get on board and get started. Yes we vet. Yes we are thorough. But, we believe in bringing the best to our audience, and so far they seem to love our results. I welcome your questions and inquiries at Jmcintire at examiner dot com, or feel free to call me on my cell at 817-542-9010. -Joshua McIntire Examiner.com |
| stephanenow | Posted – 9/18/2008 5:06:45 PM | show profile | email poster Examiner.com I have been trying to fidn out more information on this company but I don't see any. I have checked the about us link but it does not tell me who is behind it. Who owns it? Where are they based out of? How many years have they been in existence? |
| candylilacs | Posted – 9/19/2008 4:31:50 AM | show profile Realize if you sign up with them you are basically giving all rights to your work to them and any third-parties. While it says you own the rights, apparently they are allowed to apply for copyright and you "agree" to let them. Examiner.com hereby acknowledges that all right, title and interest in the Works belongs to you, provided however that Examiner.com or its sublicensees may apply for or seek to obtain copyright, trademark, or any other property right with regard to the Web Page and/or any derivative works created by Examiner.com or its sublicensees based on or including any or all of the Works. ** You will not object to or challenge the rights of Examiner.com or its sublicensees in and to any such derivative works created by any of them, and will not object to or challenge any registration or application for any such rights. *** ------ Dealing with being laid off, so you don't have to! www.laidoffjournal.com |
| redheadedone | Posted – 9/19/2008 11:48:55 AM | show profile Gee, this site/management group sounds like a lot of hooey to me. I love the phrase about "their" writers getting national exposure and them wanting to make sure that the writers don't have a criminal past. Gee, would you have turned down Norman Mailer because of his altercations with the police? |
