Those who received a copy of the paper saw a front page that showcased a story on the Washington Nationals, the city's new baseball team, and pieces that varied by jurisdiction in Virginia, Maryland and the District. On its back page, the paper carried the same full-page ad that had been placed in the Journal papers by Riggs Bank, but the Examiner's debut also attracted new ad clients such as Gold's Gym and several local universities.
Inside, a note from McDonald introduced the Washington Examiner, saying it is a publication that will offer "diverse perspectives and provide strong local coverage." McDonald pledged to cover city council and school board meetings, as well as the Redskins, the Wizards and the Anschutz-operated D.C. United.
The Examiner varied in the District, Maryland and Virginia.
(The Examiner)
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"Our news coverage will be as thorough and as fair as we can humanly make it," McDonald wrote.
Three pages of the paper, titled "American Conversation," are devoted to opinion pieces. In addition to signed editorials by contributors such as Ben Bova, a science fiction writer, the paper is introducing anonymous editorials that will be signed simply "Publius."
"Anonymous columns allow the public to focus on the ideas of writers rather than the political or social implications of who wrote them," editorial page editor David Mastio wrote in a note titled, "Welcome to the experiment."
The first edition also features an interview with Canadian chanteuse Celine Dion that originally appeared in the San Francisco Examiner and a review of a CD of music from the movie "Ray," co-produced by Bristol Bay Productions. The Dion interview, which is about her show "A New Day" at Caesars Palace, does not mention that "A New Day" was produced by the concerts division of Anschutz Entertainment Group, which is owned by Anschutz. Nor does the CD review mention that Bristol Bay is also owned by Anschutz.
Previous editions of the Journal Newspapers have also run ads from the Anschutz-backed Foundation for a Better Life. "If we can use synergy to our advantage either to gain content or advertisers, we're going to do it," said publisher McDonald.
Metro riders had mostly positive reviews of the debut edition. John Newby, an attorney getting on the Metro at McPherson Square yesterday afternoon, called the Examiner "a good alternative to Express," saying, "It has a lot of information."
