The Washington Examiner

Washington Examiner

Type	Daily newspaper
Format	Tabloid
Owner	Philip Anschutz
Publisher	Michael Phelps
Editor	Stephen G. Smith
Founded	2005
Headquarters	1015 15th St. NW Suite 500 Washington, D.C. 20005 United States
Circulation	93,000
Official website	http://www.dcexaminer.com/

The Washington Examiner is a free daily newspaper published in Springfield, Virginia, and distributed around Washington, D.C. and its suburbs.

History

The newspaper was formerly distributed only in the suburbs of Washington, under the titles of Montgomery Journal, Prince George's Journal, and Northern Virginia Journal. Their parent company, Journal Newspapers Inc., was purchased by conservative benefactor Philip Anschutz in October 2004. On February 1, 2005, the paper's name changed to the Washington Examiner, and it adopted a logo and format similar to that of another newspaper owned by Anschutz, the San Francisco Examiner.^[1] The Examiner's parent company, Clarity Media Group, also owns the conservative opinion magazine, The Weekly Standard.

In the summer of 2008, the paper adopted a number of design and distribution changes from their parent company, Clarity Media and former executive editor and editorial director of Clarity Media, Vivienne Sosnowski.

Distribution

The newspaper is supported entirely by advertisements and is distributed free of charge. It is printed in a "compact", also known as a tabloid format. The Examiner covers world, national, and local news and sports. The Examiner's executive editor is Stephen G. Smith. The newspaper employs news services, syndicated writers, and a number of freelance writers.

Editorial shakeups

Examiner newspaper dispenser

When Anschutz started the Examiner in its current format, he envisioned a more conservative competitor to the The Washington Post. According to Politico.com, "When it came to the editorial page, Anschutz’s instructions were explicit — he 'wanted nothing but conservative columns and conservative op-ed writers,' said one former employee."^[2]

In December 2005, John Wilpers, the Examiner's first editor-in-chief, resigned. His unexpected departure followed a number of other shake-ups on the newly launched tabloid's masthead. The paper's Virginia editor also left, in December 2005. Wilpers' replacement, Vivienne Sosnowski, served through 2007 before Stephen G. Smith became chief editor.

Also early 2007, the design department had some issues when Assistant Managing Editor Rachel R. Barth quit to work for The Army Times. Dan Rubin took over as director of pagination but held the job only until March 2008, when Joana Suleiman took over.^{[citation needed]}

In late May 2008, it was announced that Townhall.com managing editor, FOX News contributor, and national columnist Mary Katharine Ham would be made online editor of the new "dcexaminer.com".

In August 2008, the paper lost its advertising director, Amanda Sheehan, and editorial director Vivienne Sosnowski. Since the launch of the Washington and Baltimore Examiners, Sosnowski had more influence on the editorial direction and overall design than any one person at the paper. She claimed the paper was "in good hands" at the time of her retirement.^{[citation needed]}

Most recently, the Examiner has added more conservative writers and columnists including Byron York (National Review), Michael Barone (American Enterprise Institute, Fox News) David Freddoso (National Review, author of The Case Against Barack Obama).^[2]

Distribution controversy

When the Examiner launched in late 2005, Washington City Paper writers Erik Wemple and Jeff Horwitz surveyed Washington, D.C. neighborhoods and discovered that free home delivery of the Examiner occurred exclusively in affluent, majority-white neighborhoods, while "majority-black neighborhoods are lucky to get even spotty service."^{[citation needed]}

Another controversy is the Examiner's business plan. The Examiner attracts advertisers through their circulation numbers. People all over the area have had problems starting a subscription to the paper as there is only the option on the paper's website to unsubscribe. Some have also complained of difficulty un-subscribing from the paper.^[3] Residents of Arlington County, Virginia, citing difficulties stopping delivery of the paper, started a petition online in an attempt to resolve the problem. The petition is open to all residents of the Washington metropolitan area who are having difficulties canceling delivery of the Examiner.

In response to over 100 citizen complaints, Alexandria, Virginia initially proposed a "Do Not Deliver" list in 2006^[4], but this was deemed unworkable or possibly in violation of Free Speech requirements. In March, 2009, City Council, at the urging of the City Manager's Office, passed Alexandria City Code §9-14^[5] as a Model Newspaper Delivery Ordinance. Provisions include: newspapers not be delivered after the resident requested delivery be stopped, not be placed on streets, sidewalks, not be distributed by placing them at intervals along a block, and not placing several near the entrance to a multi-unit building other than in direct relation to the number requested by the occupants of the block or building. The law requires removal of misdelivered papers within 24 hours, and assignment of a tracking number or some other reference system for requests to stop delivery.^[5] The law does not apply to temporary "stop delivery" requests.

Political endorsements

The paper endorsed John McCain in the 2008 Presidential election.^[6]

See also

• Express (newspaper), a free paper in the Washington, D.C., metro area

References

External links

• The Examiner