RealClearPolitics
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| URL | realclearpolitics.com |
|---|---|
| Slogan | Opinion, News, Analysis, Videos and Polls |
| Type of site | Aggregator |
| Registration | Optional |
| Available language(s) | English |
| Owner | RealClear Holdings LLC, of which Forbes Media has a 51% interest |
| Created by | John McIntyre, Tom Bevan |
| Launched | 2000 |
| Alexa rank |  1,298 (February 2012[update])[1] |
| Revenue | unknown |
| Current status | Online |
RealClearPolitics is a political news and polling data aggregator[2] based in Chicago, Illinois. The site's founders say their goal is to give readers "ideological diversity."[3] They have described themselves as frustrated with what they perceive as anti-conservative, anti-Christian media bias,[4] and while some have suggested the commentary is conservative-leaning,[5] the site includes columns and commentary from both sides of the political spectrum.
The site was founded in 2000 by former options trader John McIntyre and former advertising agency account executive Tom Bevan.[4][6][7] Forbes Media LLC bought a 51% equity interest in the site in 2007.[8]
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[edit] Origin and philosophy
[edit] Origin
The Web site was founded in 2000 by McIntyre, a former trader at the Chicago Board Options Exchange, and Bevan, a former advertising agency account executive.[6] McIntyre explained "[i]t really wasn't any more complicated than there should be a place online that pulled together all this quality information."[9] They call what they do "intelligent aggregation."[10] The site has grown in election-season spurts since it first went online. It has expanded from a two-man operation on a shoestring budget to a full-time staff of more than two-dozen employees overseeing the company's mainstay, RealClearPolitics, as well as nine smaller sites: RealClearMarkets, RealClearWorld, RealClearSports, RealClearScience, RealClearReligion, RealClearEnergy, RealClearTechnology, RealClearHistory, and RealClearBooks.
[edit] Philosophy
In an interview with the conservative magazine Human Events, McIntyre described the philosophy behind the Web site as based on "freedom" and "common-sense values." Said Bevan, "We think debate on the issues is a very important thing. We post a variety of opinions." He further stated, "we have a frustration all conservatives have", which is "the bias in media against conservatives, religious conservatives, [and] Christian conservatives."[4] When Nate Silver of rival site FiveThirtyEight.com claimed RealClearPolitics.com was rigging its averages to favor Senator John McCain and other Republicans, McIntyre denied having a conservative bent, stating, "We’re running a business, We have no interest in screwing around with that for partisan purposes.”[11] Silver later backed away from the claim and said the two sites had a friendly rivalry and grudging respect for each other.[11]
[edit] Format
Updated continuously, the RealClearPolitics sites, which are based in Chicago, aggregate content from a wide range of sources, sources that run the gamut of locations and political persuasions. Stories from the Washington Post and other large-circulation media frequently run alongside articles from such lesser-known papers as the Ottawa Citizen, while analyses from the liberal New Republic may be paired with more conservative publications such as the Weekly Standard. McIntyre's purported objective is "to give readers ideological diversity. We're trying to stay immersed in the nation's political bloodstream at all times. That way, we can show you every small, little twist and turn, and give multiple sides to every story."[3]
[edit] Ownership
Forbes Media announced on November 7, 2007 that it had acquired a 51% stake in RealClearPolitics.com. The founders will remain owners and management.[8] In November, 2008, Forbes President and CEO Steve Forbes sent a memo directing that the company's online brands, including Forbes.com, Investopedia and RealClearPolitics.com be combined.[12]
RealClearPolitics also owns RealClearMarkets, RealClearWorld and RealClearSports.[13] RealClearMarkets and RealClearSports were launched in November 2007. RealClearWorld, the international news and politics site, was launched in August 2008. RealClearScience and RealClearReligion launched in October 2010.[14]
[edit] Original content
In addition to linking to external content, RealClearPolitics also provides original commentary.
Bevan and Kyle Trygstad write "The RCP Blog," which is hosted by TIME. Trygstad and Mike Memoli write the "PoliticsNation" blog.[15] Doctoral student Jay Cost writes the "HorseRaceBlog."[16] Veteran journalist Doug Clawson writes the "Media Watch" blog.[17]
The site's political commentary, election analysis and polling averages have been featured in national media outlets, including The New York Times,[18] Fox News Channel,[18] The Economist,[19] Investor's Business Daily,[20] and The Chicago Sun-Times.[21] RealClearPolitics polling averages are used on MSNBC's Hardball, Fox News, and the Web sites of CBS News and the Washington Post.[22]
[edit] Political poll averaging
RealClearPolitics aggregates polls, usually for presidential elections, into averages, known as the RealClearPolitics average, which are widely cited by media outlets. New York Times contributor Neil Tyson, wrote in an Op-Ed piece that “in swing states, the median result of all the polls conducted in the weeks prior to an election is an especially effective predictor of which candidate will win that election — even in states where the polls consistently fall within the margin of error.”[23] However, some statisticians say that it is sometimes misleading to average results from multiple polls.[22]
[edit] Reader accolades
New York Times columnist David Brooks said, "Some people wake up every morning with a raw egg and exercise. I wake up every morning with RealClearPolitics.com. It's the perfect one-stop shopping for the smartest commentary on politics and life." Howard Fineman, Newsweek chief political correspondent, states that, "RealClearPolitics.com is a site that makes a credible effort to do the impossible: to provide a comprehensive, real-time (and not just Beltway- based) overview of the entire American political conversation."[24]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ "Realclearpolitics.com Site Info". Alexa Internet. http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/realclearpolitics.com. Retrieved 2012-02-02.
- ^ "Polling Averages". RealClearPolitics. April 21, 2008. http://www.realclearpolitics.com/polls/. Retrieved 2008-04-21.
- ^ a b "On Web, Political Junkies Make a Real Clear Choice". The New York Sun. March 10, 2008. http://www.nysun.com/business/on-web-political-junkies-make-a-real-clear-choice/72596/. Retrieved 2008-08-08.
- ^ a b c D'Agostino, Joseph A (March 31, 2003). "Conservative Spotlight: Real Clear Politics". Human Events. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3827/is_200303/ai_n9233442. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
- ^ Patrick Stack (October 2004). "Cheat Sheet: Election Websites". TIME. http://www.time.com/time/election2004/article/0,18471,724310,00.html. Retrieved 2009-07-15. "RealClearPolitics.com scores points for its in-depth, right-leaning commentary section"
- ^ a b Zorn, Eric (October 26, 2004). "Political site polls well with election junkies". Chicago Tribune: Metro, p. 1. http://blogs.chicagotribune.com/news_columnists_ezorn/2006/04/good_riddance_t.html.
- ^ Wolinsky, Howard (September 18, 2006). "Politicking pays off: Web site a must-read for political fanatics" ([dead link]). Chicago Sun-Times: 55. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4155/is_20060918/ai_n16733865.
- ^ a b "Forbes Media Acquires Fifty-One Percent Stake in RealClearPolitics.com". www.businesswire.com. http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20071107006128&newsLang=en. Retrieved 2009-11-05.
- ^ "Political Junkies Spawn a Real, Clear Success". U.S. News & World Report. December 12, 2007. http://www.usnews.com/articles/business/small-business-entrepreneurs/2007/12/12/politics-junkies-spawn-a-real-clear-success.html. Retrieved 2008-04-07.
- ^ "Real Clear Politics Real Clear on its Growth, Mission". The Chicago Tribune. February 7, 2008. http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/technology_internetcritic/2008/02/real-clear-poli.html1. Retrieved 2008-04-07.[dead link]
- ^ a b Becker, Bernie (2008-10-28). "Political Polling Sites Are in a Race of Their Own - NYTimes.com". www.nytimes.com. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/28/us/politics/28pollsite.html?_r=1. Retrieved 2009-11-07.
- ^ "Forbes to combine print and online staffs, cuts jobs :: BtoB Magazine". www.btobonline.com. http://www.btobonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081118/FREE/811189968/1078. Retrieved 2009-11-04.[dead link]
- ^ "On Web, Political Junkies Make a Real Clear Choice". New York Sun. March 10, 2008. http://www.nysun.com/article/72596?page_no=3. Retrieved 2008-03-25.
- ^ New RealClear Sites Launching Today - Real Clear Politics – TIME.com
- ^ "Politics Nation". RealClearPolitics. September 17, 2007. http://www.realclearpolitics.com/politics_nation/2007/09/welcome_to_politics_nation.html. Retrieved 2008-03-27.[dead link]
- ^ "HorseRaceBlog". RealClearPolitics. May 30, 2007. Archived from the original on January 17, 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20080117115503/http://www.realclearpolitics.com/horseraceblog/2007/05/about_the_horse_race_blog.html. Retrieved 2008-03-27.
- ^ "Media Watch". RealClearPolitics. December 21, 2008. http://www.realclearpolitics.com/mediawatch/2008/12/watchdog_of_media_watch.html. Retrieved 2009-03-04.
- ^ a b Cart, Bill; Jacques Steinberg (November 7, 2006). "The 2006 Campaign: Election Night Viewing Includes Web's Bells and Whistles". The New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C02E3D9113FF934A35752C1A9609C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=print. Retrieved 2007-07-17.
- ^ "On leaving Los Angeles". The Economist. November 3, 2006. http://www.economist.com/research/articlesBySubject/displaystory.cfm?subjectid=7933598&story_id=8099785. Retrieved 2007-07-17.
- ^ Barnako, Frank (December 15, 2004). "Best blogs of 2004". Investor's Business Daily (archived version). Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. http://web.archive.org/web/20070929090830/http://www.investors.com/breakingnews.asp?journalid=24424066&brk=1. Retrieved 2007-07-17.
- ^ Bevan, Tom (May 18, 2007). "Don't count out McCain just yet". The Chicago Sun-Times (archived version). Archived from the original on 2007-10-06. http://web.archive.org/web/20071006033640/http://www.suntimes.com/news/bevan/391712,CST-EDT-BEVAN18.articleprint. Retrieved 2009-06-10.
- ^ a b Bialik, Carl (February 15, 2008). "Election Handicappers Are Using Risky Tool: Mixed Poll Averages". The Wall Street Journal. http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB120303346890469991.html. Retrieved 2008-08-08.
- ^ "Vote by Numbers". The New York Times. June 6, 2008. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/06/opinion/06tyson.html?_r=1&oref=slogin. Retrieved 2008-07-30.
- ^ "RealClearPolitics.com Launches New Web Site, Announces Financing". PR Newswire. March 14, 2006. http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/summary_0199-5320058_ITM. Retrieved 2008-08-08.
