The high road is often the hardest road.
But strict adherence to the loftiest ethical standards eventually pays off.
I am seeing that play out with our facts- and logic-focused news platform.
For a guy who has sold more than $20 million in advertising in his career, it was not easy to choose to launch a platform with no advertising or sponsorship.
With a few hundred bucks in the bank account, it was not easy to turn down a $25,000 bank draft that was waiting for me to pick up. However, when the investor suggested that the money was tied to expectations of political favouritism, I had to say no.
It is not easy to say no to government funding. I remember how excited I was to receive a $52,000 cheque from the federal government’s magazine fund years ago. But that money also has strings attached.
I had to take the high road because it is the only way to preserve editorial integrity.
If we accepted advertising money, we would surely follow the same path of our news-producing peers … and my earlier media self; we would end up focusing on the size of the audience instead of their intelligence.
If we accepted government cash, we would surely be less likely to hold that government accountable in our journalism.
This is not a case of me looking at my media peers and thinking that I am holier than thou. (Truth be known, their coverage has far more holes.) 😉
No, this is about understanding the importance of establishing an extremely accurate, transparent, and trustworthy news source. An organization that minimizes bias and maximizes practical knowledge.
In the five years since I finished writing the BIG Media Ltd. business plan and this summary (The Big Story) with help from my brilliant co-founder Laurie Weston, we have done everything promised.
There has been much temptation and many sacrifices, but I could not be more proud of the calibre of work produced by our team of scientists, engineers, mathematicians, and professional storytellers who operate under my strict editorial guidelines.
No sensationalism. Comprehensive attribution. Content supported by valid data and verifiable facts.
We practise journalism as good scientists ply their trade – constantly attempting to prove ourselves wrong while conducting thorough research and presenting evidence-based findings with logical interpretation.
We serve only our readers, who pay a modest membership (subscription) fee to drive this important venture.
Yes, the high road has some big potholes and perilous conditions, but it is a beautiful and ultimately rewarding path.
In recent months, many remarkable people have signed up at BIG-Media.ca. They understand that the traditional news model is badly broken. They acknowledge that BIG Media’s unique approach to news coverage is exactly what the (good) doctor ordered. And now they are going to help us grow.
But we are always looking for good people to join the BIG team – be it as a subscriber, funder, or editorial contributor.
The next time you face a fork in the information highway, I hope you will steer clear of the inaccurate but oh-so-stimulating content of our media rivals, and join us on the journalistic high road.
(Rob Driscoll, BIG Media Ltd., 2025)
