Comments on: Examiner.com and the hyper-local long tail http://www.markschulte.com/2009/12/10/examiner-com-and-the-hyper-local-long-tail/ journalist, teacher, IT enthusiast Fri, 07 May 2010 23:37:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: JH Cole http://www.markschulte.com/2009/12/10/examiner-com-and-the-hyper-local-long-tail/comment-page-1/#comment-110 JH Cole Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:32:36 +0000 http://www.markschulte.com/?p=200#comment-110 http://angengland.com/can-you-make-money-writing-for-examinercom/ http://angengland.com/can-you-make-money-writing-for-examinercom/

]]> By: Dean Larson http://www.markschulte.com/2009/12/10/examiner-com-and-the-hyper-local-long-tail/comment-page-1/#comment-99 Dean Larson Thu, 07 Jan 2010 05:35:25 +0000 http://www.markschulte.com/?p=200#comment-99 Exceedingly well stated, Lynn. That last sentence leaped out at me, as well. And not in a good way. Seemingly: "No matter how successful YOU make us, we'll continue to pay you pennies since you seem to be willing to contribute for pennies." Unfortunately, this compares well with the evolved corporate-capitalistic model seen today with some frequency. Oftentimes, expertise, effort and longevity at the production level are rewarded no better than the lackluster. Which creates inverse selection (the good ones leave). The end result (quantity, quality, profits, et al.), thusly, minimized. Not exactly the kind of star to which one would wish to hitch their wagon, is it? I was similarly surprised to see them print your comparable sentiments! Will they mine? Exceedingly well stated, Lynn.

That last sentence leaped out at me, as well. And not in a good way.

Seemingly: “No matter how successful YOU make us, we’ll continue to pay you pennies since you seem to be willing to contribute for pennies.”

Unfortunately, this compares well with the evolved corporate-capitalistic model seen today with some frequency. Oftentimes, expertise, effort and longevity at the production level are rewarded no better than the lackluster. Which creates inverse selection (the good ones leave).
The end result (quantity, quality, profits, et al.), thusly, minimized.

Not exactly the kind of star to which one would wish to hitch their wagon, is it?

I was similarly surprised to see them print your comparable sentiments!
Will they mine?

]]> By: Lynne Melcombe http://www.markschulte.com/2009/12/10/examiner-com-and-the-hyper-local-long-tail/comment-page-1/#comment-79 Lynne Melcombe Thu, 17 Dec 2009 01:00:10 +0000 http://www.markschulte.com/?p=200#comment-79 "Even if that day comes, it is not at all clear whether Clarity Media Group will re-examine its pay scale. Its writers have so far shown they are willing to work hard for, in most cases, very little." This is a double-edged sword, and one best wielded with a little thought about the consequences, good and not-so-good, of this type of journalism. On one hand, all that passion for writing and purveying information about a subject one holds dear is inspiring. Given how hard it is these days to earn money, it’s good for people to place more value on their earnings than they might have a few years ago. And one can’t underestimate the value of more people with diverse viewpoints having direct access to publishing tools, without risk of being censored due to a publication’s revenue concerns or editorial bias. On the other hand, there's something to be said for professional journalism. It takes time to develop research, writing, and editing skills, to do good background research, develop strong interview questions, and pin down evasive subjects. It takes time to fact-check, as well as to understand background and context, particularly for very complex subjects. This is what good journalism is. But good journalism takes time, and time is money. Good journalism is also the basis for democracy. For democracy to work, people have to participate. For people to participate, they have to be informed. For people to be informed, they not only need access to information, but to quality information. For some people to research and write that information, they need both training and time. Which takes us full circle – good journalism takes time, and time is money. A friend of mine said the other day that she doesn’t think people will pay for news on the web because they’re used to getting it for free. I think that’s a misconception. Nothing is free, and information is no exception. The only questions are, what’s the cost and who is paying? Are the people who live in a democratic society going to pay for it by sacrificing the accuracy and reliability of information on which they base important decisions? Or are those same people going to pay for it by acknowledging that in order to get that information, some people have to be paid to find, write it, edit it, and publish it? In principal, I support participatory journalism as much as I support participatory democracy. But just as it’s unlikely for any jurisdiction to be run well if it is only run by leaders with no prior experience or education, and no ability to get it, it’s unlikely for information to be provided well if it is only provided by writers with no prior experience or education – and no ability to get it. It’s pretty clear to anyone who can read that current print models of journalism are on their way out, and still-developing models of web journalism are on their way in. It makes sense to me, on every conceivable level that, as this happens, those in charge of web publications should ensure that financial success at the core is accompanied by increasing professionalism and remuneration on the front lines. If Clarity Media Group continues to do well with examiner.com as a result of all the hard work of its “examiners,” I think they should re-examine their pay scale. Perhaps they should pay more to writers who achieve and sustain a certain level of page views, promote some writers to editorial and/or training positions, maybe developing a profit-sharing model. The point is that, one way or another, they should do it – and not just to be nice guys, but because it would be the only really responsible thing to do. “Even if that day comes, it is not at all clear whether Clarity Media Group will re-examine its pay scale. Its writers have so far shown they are willing to work hard for, in most cases, very little.”
This is a double-edged sword, and one best wielded with a little thought about the consequences, good and not-so-good, of this type of journalism. On one hand, all that passion for writing and purveying information about a subject one holds dear is inspiring. Given how hard it is these days to earn money, it’s good for people to place more value on their earnings than they might have a few years ago. And one can’t underestimate the value of more people with diverse viewpoints having direct access to publishing tools, without risk of being censored due to a publication’s revenue concerns or editorial bias.
On the other hand, there’s something to be said for professional journalism. It takes time to develop research, writing, and editing skills, to do good background research, develop strong interview questions, and pin down evasive subjects. It takes time to fact-check, as well as to understand background and context, particularly for very complex subjects. This is what good journalism is.
But good journalism takes time, and time is money. Good journalism is also the basis for democracy. For democracy to work, people have to participate. For people to participate, they have to be informed. For people to be informed, they not only need access to information, but to quality information. For some people to research and write that information, they need both training and time. Which takes us full circle – good journalism takes time, and time is money.
A friend of mine said the other day that she doesn’t think people will pay for news on the web because they’re used to getting it for free. I think that’s a misconception. Nothing is free, and information is no exception. The only questions are, what’s the cost and who is paying? Are the people who live in a democratic society going to pay for it by sacrificing the accuracy and reliability of information on which they base important decisions? Or are those same people going to pay for it by acknowledging that in order to get that information, some people have to be paid to find, write it, edit it, and publish it?
In principal, I support participatory journalism as much as I support participatory democracy. But just as it’s unlikely for any jurisdiction to be run well if it is only run by leaders with no prior experience or education, and no ability to get it, it’s unlikely for information to be provided well if it is only provided by writers with no prior experience or education – and no ability to get it.
It’s pretty clear to anyone who can read that current print models of journalism are on their way out, and still-developing models of web journalism are on their way in. It makes sense to me, on every conceivable level that, as this happens, those in charge of web publications should ensure that financial success at the core is accompanied by increasing professionalism and remuneration on the front lines.
If Clarity Media Group continues to do well with examiner.com as a result of all the hard work of its “examiners,” I think they should re-examine their pay scale. Perhaps they should pay more to writers who achieve and sustain a certain level of page views, promote some writers to editorial and/or training positions, maybe developing a profit-sharing model. The point is that, one way or another, they should do it – and not just to be nice guys, but because it would be the only really responsible thing to do.

]]> By: Wendy Sheppard http://www.markschulte.com/2009/12/10/examiner-com-and-the-hyper-local-long-tail/comment-page-1/#comment-77 Wendy Sheppard Mon, 14 Dec 2009 18:09:08 +0000 http://www.markschulte.com/?p=200#comment-77 As the Suburban Philadelphia Teen Issues Examiner, I have to say it's the community Examiner.com fosters that means the most to me - that and writing on a topic I am passionate about. No, it won't get you rich, at least not in topics outside of arts & entertainment, but it is nice to be able to build a web presence that will hopefully turn into different revenue streams down the road. As the Suburban Philadelphia Teen Issues Examiner, I have to say it’s the community Examiner.com fosters that means the most to me – that and writing on a topic I am passionate about. No, it won’t get you rich, at least not in topics outside of arts & entertainment, but it is nice to be able to build a web presence that will hopefully turn into different revenue streams down the road.

]]> By: Raina Casarez http://www.markschulte.com/2009/12/10/examiner-com-and-the-hyper-local-long-tail/comment-page-1/#comment-76 Raina Casarez Sun, 13 Dec 2009 19:54:58 +0000 http://www.markschulte.com/?p=200#comment-76 I am the Wii Fitness Examiner, a title I invented for myself to fulfill my passion of preaching about the Wii for fitness. Examiner.com is an amazing company and the platform they've created is excellently constructed. I do this full-time and I do believe this is 'crowdsourcing' at its best! Thanks for the great article. Penda, Goddess of Virtual Fitness Wii FAB (For Absolute Beginners) I am the Wii Fitness Examiner, a title I invented for myself to fulfill my passion of preaching about the Wii for fitness. Examiner.com is an amazing company and the platform they’ve created is excellently constructed. I do this full-time and I do believe this is ‘crowdsourcing’ at its best! Thanks for the great article.
Penda, Goddess of Virtual Fitness Wii FAB (For Absolute Beginners)

]]> By: Paula Mooney http://www.markschulte.com/2009/12/10/examiner-com-and-the-hyper-local-long-tail/comment-page-1/#comment-75 Paula Mooney Sat, 12 Dec 2009 21:17:22 +0000 http://www.markschulte.com/?p=200#comment-75 I'm lovin' Examiner.com I’m lovin’ Examiner.com

]]> By: Robert Sokol http://www.markschulte.com/2009/12/10/examiner-com-and-the-hyper-local-long-tail/comment-page-1/#comment-74 Robert Sokol Sat, 12 Dec 2009 19:55:49 +0000 http://www.markschulte.com/?p=200#comment-74 Definitely a fair and balanced article. With less than two years under its belt, examiner.com still has much to do in refining its identity, style and content. It will be interesting to watch (and in my case, participate in) the growth. Definitely a fair and balanced article. With less than two years under its belt, examiner.com still has much to do in refining its identity, style and content. It will be interesting to watch (and in my case, participate in) the growth.

]]> By: Chrissy Morin http://www.markschulte.com/2009/12/10/examiner-com-and-the-hyper-local-long-tail/comment-page-1/#comment-73 Chrissy Morin Sat, 12 Dec 2009 16:41:31 +0000 http://www.markschulte.com/?p=200#comment-73 This was a great article for a newbie examiner to read. I report on my home town area that I've been covering on my own sites and blogs for the last 11 years and what examiner has given me is a community to write WITH... I don't feel so all alone out in cyber space now. This was a great article for a newbie examiner to read. I report on my home town area that I’ve been covering on my own sites and blogs for the last 11 years and what examiner has given me is a community to write WITH… I don’t feel so all alone out in cyber space now.

]]> By: Amy http://www.markschulte.com/2009/12/10/examiner-com-and-the-hyper-local-long-tail/comment-page-1/#comment-72 Amy Sat, 12 Dec 2009 15:03:51 +0000 http://www.markschulte.com/?p=200#comment-72 Mark, Thanks so much for this article! IMO this is a very disturbing trend not only because this revenue model is extremely disadvantageous to journalists, but also tends to degrade the quality of writing on the Internet (I realize this is not always the case! Some are very good writers.) But I have read multiple examiner.com posts that are nothing but bad regurgitations of press releases. It doesn't seem to matter if there is consistent or high quality writing on their Web sites. Mark,
Thanks so much for this article! IMO this is a very disturbing trend not only because this revenue model is extremely disadvantageous to journalists, but also tends to degrade the quality of writing on the Internet (I realize this is not always the case! Some are very good writers.) But I have read multiple examiner.com posts that are nothing but bad regurgitations of press releases. It doesn’t seem to matter if there is consistent or high quality writing on their Web sites.

]]> By: Dianne Walker http://www.markschulte.com/2009/12/10/examiner-com-and-the-hyper-local-long-tail/comment-page-1/#comment-71 Dianne Walker Sat, 12 Dec 2009 00:35:28 +0000 http://www.markschulte.com/?p=200#comment-71 Thank you so much for the article. I love writing for the Examiner and it's great to see that someone "get's it!" Thank you so much for the article. I love writing for the Examiner and it’s great to see that someone “get’s it!”

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