Last updated 5/1/2010
- What is the history of the Empire Page?
- Who produces the site?
- How are the stories selected?
- Where are stories posted -- NYS or National page?
- How are the media selected?
- When are the stories posted to the site?
- Where are yesterday's stories?
- Who chooses the guest editorials?
- Can I use the same password at home and at work?
- Can more than one person use a password?
1. What is the history of the Empire Page?
The Empire Page was created in 1999 by Chris Chichester, who had just left a position in the communications office of Governor George Pataki. After Chris put a "for sale" sign on the site in the fall of 1999, it was purchased by PoliticalNewsToday.com, LLC, a partnership between Empire Information Services, Inc., Schwartz Heslin Group and Wynantskill Capital. Today, Peter G. Pollak, founder of Empire Information Services and currently chairman of its successor readMedia, Inc., is the managing partner and majority owner of PoliticalNewsToday.com.
2. Who produces the site?
PNT.com hires, trains and supervises the editors who pull 300+ stories each day; we also handle our own subscription, advertising and customer support functions..
3. How are the stories selected?
Each morning Empire Page editors visit the websites of selected 60+ news outlets and select the news stories, editorials and columns they believe will be of interest to the site's visitors/readers. PNT.com has rejected the idea of using a computer program to do this job, feeling that in the long run human editors will do a better job of finding the items people most care about. Click here to see a list of the media that we monitor.
4.Where are stories posted -- NYS or National?
All stories on national topics with no special NYS relevance are posted to the National page. That means if a NYS daily publishes a news story, column or editorial about national legislation or a presidential election, you will be able to find it on our National Page. Conversely if a National news source publishes an item germaine to NYS it will be posted on the NYS page.
5. How are the media selected?
Not every news organization posts on its website in a timely fashion all of the content they produce for their print or broadcast audience. Empire Page editors follow a regular schedule visiting sites in search of news our subscribers need to know. If we are not scanning a media site that you believe posts valuable political news or commentary on NYS government or politics, please let us know about it.
6. When are the stories posted to the site?
The editors visit the media on a schedule based on when each entity typically finishes posting their news, editorials and columns. Our goal is to have an initial set of links available by 5 a.m. seven days a week. Editors continue to post new material until the last group of media have updated their sites, which is typically no later than 8:30 a.m.
7. Where are yesterday's stories?
We maintain links to 5 days' worth of NYS and National stories. To find the page listing 5 days' worth of stories click on "NYS Headlines" or "National Headlines" link on the menu bar at the top of every day
8. Who chooses the guest editorials?
The Empire Page invites anyone who wishes to express an opinion on a political issue of the day related to NYS government or politics to submit a guest editorial of under 1000 words for consideration by Empire Page editors. The criteria for selecting guest editorials include timeliness, writing clarity and the cogency of the argument. Political perspective is never a reason for rejecting a guest editorial. If chosen, your editorial will remain on the site for approximately one week.
9. Can I use the same password at home and at work?
Yes. However, you will need to enter your password the first time you visit the site on your home and your office computer.
10. Can more than one person use a password?
No. A password may not be used by more than one person at the same time. Sharing your password with other people violates the subscription policy. Your subscription can be cancelled without a refund if we determine it has been distributed to others.