In just 2.5 years, BIG Media Ltd. has established itself as a trusted leader in news coverage of the biggest issues.
How did we do it?
By recruiting an incredible team of bright minds who know how to educate with accuracy and integrity, and by adhering to editorial principles that minimize spin and maximize practical knowledge. We have not deviated from the mission statement that I wrote as we launched in February of 2021 – The Big Story.
Keep in mind that although I make bold claims, intellectual humility is at the core of our business model. We encourage scrutiny and only wish that all news companies were held accountable regarding the veracity of their coverage. If you see any problems in our coverage, please challenge us … and bring verifiable facts and data to back up your argument, as we do in our reporting.
While other news organizations rely on journalists quoting experts (who, as most of us have come to understand, often have ulterior motives in their messaging), BIG Media’s editorial contributors are accomplished scientists and professionals who understand concepts critical to competent analysis of important matters. We prefer to stick to facts and logic, as opposed to having influential officials dictate the narrative.
Here is a quick rundown of the editorial team that delivers a steady diet of truth and logic with accuracy and transparency (left to right, top to bottom):
Laurie Weston – a renowned geophysicist and entrepreneur, Laurie’s data wizardry and deft writing have brought us mind-blowing articles on such things as COVID death data (Detailed analysis of 2021 death data reveals disturbing trends), artificial intelligence (AI: Where are we and where are we going?), fracking (Fracking 101: Just the fracts), and carbon capture (Capturing carbon – the science and the subtleties).
Brad Hayes – a doctor of geology, entrepreneur, and educator, Brad has kept readers informed about critical matters including energy transition (Energy transition – a lesson in advocacy and models), plastic in the ocean (Trash talk: are microplastics truly the horror story we are being told?), sea-level rise (Sea level is rising; should we be worried?), energy crisis (Recognizing roots of global energy crisis might help us move toward solutions), and energy policy (What the world needs now is energy education and pragmatic energy policy).
Lee Hunt – a world-class geophysicist and author of several novels, Lee has written compelling articles on many aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic (COVID-19’s impact on young children and the question of whether to vaccinate), drugs and crime (Responsibility, jurisprudence, and the magic mushroom decision – Part 1), recycling (Coffee cup quandary is catalyst for recycling research), and philosophy (Selfishness, hypocrisy, the golden rule, and hope).
Kevin Burron – one of North America’s top litigators in the real estate/construction realm, Kevin takes complex legal issues and helps us understand important principles at play: the demise of Roe v Wade (The demise of Roe v. Wade – breaking down the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in the Dobbs case), the Emergencies Act (The Canadian prime minister’s emergency act), and the rule of law (Rule of law wins in pastor’s successful appeal against pandemic protest contempt charges).
Brian Russell – half of the world-famous duo who founded HampsonRussell Software, Brian is a legit rockstar, be it in his rock-physics expertise or riffing on his guitar at industry conferences. Brian’s keen understanding of machine learning, music, and mathematics have illuminated the masses in many ways: understanding machine learning (Understanding machine learning), examining the AI myth (Examining the artificial intelligence myth), the ubiquitous exponential (The ubiquitous exponential and its many applications), music, math, and physics (Music, mathematics, and physics).
Dr. David Vickers – with 18 years of experience in infectious disease epidemiology in academic and public sectors, David has brought readers cogent analysis of critical issues related to public health crises: COVID vaccine side effects on children (Higher rates of adverse events after mRNA vaccines interpreted poorly by study authors), “hybrid immunity” (Bold statements regarding hybrid immunity belie checkered evidence), lessons forgotten from the Spanish flu (What we forgot about the Spanish flu).
Muriel Protzer – an economics grad with expertise in data and graphics, Muriel helps BIG Media present amazing interactive charts and infographics, and has written compelling pieces on debt/GDP in the G7 (No doubt about debt – is it time to push panic button?), and the global polar bear population (Polar bear population analysis presents balanced picture).
Colleen Stewart – journalist-turned-communications-consultant Colleen joined the BIG team recently and quickly produced a few gems for our BIG Chuckle section: Naked in the desert (Naked in the desert), woman vs. machine (The moving story of woman versus machine), party is over for remote workers (Is it remote work or (not) remotely working?).
Ernest Granson – a career journalist with a great nose for news, Ernest has been our production editor from Day 1. His attention to detail and abundant skill keep BIG-Media.ca current and lively.
Chris DeArmitt – boasting a PhD in polymers and surface science, Chris is the newest member of our team. An award-winning speaker, author, and highly sought after consultant/commentator on plastic materials, Chris’s inaugural effort on BIG-Media.ca was an eye-opener on plastic prejudice (Are you prejudiced against plastics?).
Paul Buller – an engineer with an extensive background in large machinery vibration, Paul sorts through data on a nearly daily basis, finding trends and making sense of it all. His contributions include: cardiac arrests and AEDs (Cardiac arrest data highlights importance of access to defibrillators), monkeypox (Monkeypox data indicates no reason for panic), sun exposure and cancer (Goldilocks goes to the beach – assessing the benefits of sunlight versus the risks of skin cancer), and urbanization and real estate prices (Examination of house prices confirms that market size matters).
Rob Driscoll – the dude who put this team together and works hard to ensure that there will always be at least one news organization that you can trust to provide accurate, trustworthy, and transparent news on the big issues. When he is not writing about himself in third person, he takes time to pen opinion and humour pieces on such subjects as the Online News Act (Disastrous Online News Act could be a boon to your brain), really nice people (Really nice people are a really big problem), and game-changing inventions (BIG Media Labs announces latest game-changing invention).
