[LINK] "News website chain expands into Canada"

[rfmcdonald]

This looks interesting.

Examiner.com, a U.S. chain of news websites written by amateur journalists, has expanded into Canada, hoping to carve a niche in "hyperlocal" content.

While the Canadian edition has been live since August, it's officially launching today with a campaign to recruit bloggers - which it calls "examiners" - in five cities who will get paid according to how many times Internet surfers view their articles.

"This will allow us to see how the concept of hyperlocal information resonates in other key North American cities with new audiences who share diverse interests," CEO Rick Blair said. The publication, based in Denver, is one of several experiments in making money with free online content as newspapers continue to lose readers and advertising dollars.

This northward foray is the first phase of an international expansion by the company. Barely 19 months old, the firm boasts a presence in 162 communities in the U.S.

According to Blair, the website has attracted 16 million unique views and was named the fastest-growing news website in August by Nielsen Online. Within a year, the number of unique users grew 342 per cent, according to the audience tracking firm.

Examiner.com relies on local writers to provide content relevant to their communities.

"Our Examiners are local insiders and influencers who provide reliable intelligence and resources on local and category-specific topics," the website says.

The company boasts 21,000 contributors, most of whom have been active in the past 90 days, Blair said. The application page suggests posting three to four articles a week.