- What is the history of the Empire Page?
- Who produces the site?
- How are the stories selected?
- How are the media selected?
- When are the stories posted to the site?
- Why do I sometimes find a bad link?
- 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 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 the 150+ 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 national and regional 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. 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 dozens of news websites 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.
5. 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 links available by 5 a.m. on weekdays and by 6 a.m. on weekends. Editors continue to post new material until the last group of media have updated their sites, which is typically no later than 9 a.m.
7. Why do I sometimes find a bad link?
There could be a number of reasons including an error on our part. Another reason is that the news organization has changed the link to the story we selected. This can happen when a subsequent version of a story is posted. If this happens go to the media's website and search on the title or topic.
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.