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State of the industry on our 15th birthday
e-KNOW editorial
By Ian Cobb
It doesn’t seem like just yesterday. Time has not gone by in a flash.
Today (July 6), e-KNOW.ca turns 15.
Fifteen years ago today our website came alive, with a smattering of material relating what is happening, has happened or will happen soon, along with some ‘stand alone’ photographs.
It was an exciting time, starting something from scratch. From zero readers to millions of unique page views a year. It was a lot of work – 80 hours a week trying to catch folks’ attention and outline exactly what we are as a source of information and a business.
Word of mouth and social media shares following coverage of natural disasters and fires helped us build our readership and secure a place as a source of news for all East Kootenay residents.
We’ve been blessed to work with a myriad of writers and photographers over these years and to each and every one I offer my thanks and gratitude. Same to those who submit letters to the editor and op-ed commentaries, adding mirror image views of our immediate society and specialized takes on life, the universe and everything.
Our mission has always been to provide need-to-know news and information, with sprinklings of entertainment, advice and opinion. Being a small, independent media outlet in this era of huge fish controlled by a minute percentage of ultra wealthy corporatists, devouring the tiny and susceptible, is a daily challenge.
Old business models of media/business no longer apply as the vast majority of advertising revenue has been lost to the giant fish: Google, Meta, X, YouTube, Tik Tok, Linkedin etc.
Fifteen years ago I dreamed of establishing a reporter in each of the region’s main locales and creating a dynamic daily product but the business plan I was working from was outdated the second e-KNOW came online. We had to pivot. The first of many pivots.
I thought I could take on every story and within a couple of years I realized that I had to stop that approach or I would drop dead. I heard my friend Dave Rooney, whose Revelstoke-based online only newspaper was my inspiration for e-KNOW: “Don’t kill yourself brother.”
He spoke from experience as he was recovering from a stroke at the time.
Newspapers – local newspapers – used to be there for the residents of their bailiwicks. We would look into any and all complaints and tips and through the processing of questioning people or organizations, would inevitably help solve a myriad of social grievances and misjustices.
I’ve always said, ninety per cent of all information uncovered by eager journalists goes unpublished. The reason being, before a matter would go to press, it would suddenly be solved and the aggrieved who sought our spotlight-creating-leverage were no longer willing or able to go on record; story dead.
Tomorrow is my 35th anniversary working as a journalist – the vast majority of it in the East Kootenay. I could fill a book with stories of how issues become ‘solved’ once I started asking questions – from individuals to government ministries and entities; corporations, the ultra-wealthy and connected.
Now factor in all the other journalists who have worked at various newspapers around this region in the past and contemplate the value of community journalism; stories never told that leveled playing fields and put the fear of uncertainty into controllers who stopped being assholes.
Those days are gone and everyone knows it.
I am constantly being tipped off on all sorts of things worthy of a journalist’s time and efforts and, sadly, my response is now, “maybe Google or Meta will send a reporter over to look into this.” I don’t mean to be facetious; it’s just the way it is. They take most of the advertising dollars from local newspapers now – the world over. They take the necessary revenue that would be used to fund investigation.
The so-called mainstream or ‘big league’ media is mostly purchased and a shell of their former selves, too, and the great muzzling is almost complete.
Add in the Trump drone of “fake news” and the hyper-manipulation of the naïve and ultra stupid and it’s dark ages for media baby.
All that said, I remain ridiculously optimistic. Maybe I am the naïve one but I believe there will come a watershed moment when society will demand more and the resulting stress will create cracks from which new life will spring. There are signs.
Common sense and a thirst to be more connected to local settings will grow and more independent media businesses will spring forth, staffed by properly trained people seeking to build a better society, rather than nebulous digital sites that are slithering with deceitful con artists and thieves and the bane of our current time – the “look at me! Looks at me!” content creators who care for clicks and subsequent tasty treats from their social media manipulators as opposed to the soaring great feeling of knowing you’ve actually made a difference in a person’s life, or that of a family or a community, or your province or nation.
Journalism was once all about trying to educate society, aid it with investigation with no fear of losing one’s job because some rich asshole feels threatened by your work. The rich assholes have rigged the game so journalists are seen as the enemy and empty-headed prancers spewing imbecilic saws and peppery prevarication thrive, thanks to the horrific manipulation of algorithms.
Don’t get me started on how AI is adding to the woes of our society. You know I couldn’t pass the opportunity to slag the current state of affairs!
So, it hasn’t been a quick second, this past 15 years. It’s been a whole bunch of ups and downs and sideways yoinkings, with a pandemic smacked in the middle.
It’s been lots of laughs and some triumphs and achievements and a whole bunch of learning for this analog man. And I reckon there will be some more to come.
With thanks to Chris Botterill and his team at Genex Marketing for always talking me down from the ledge after being driven insane by an easily (usually) fixable techno glitch.
And with huge thanks to the people of the East Kootenay and area for your support, as well as mad love and props to our advertising supporters. It is you who are ensuring local people can access local news!
Love and regards, Ian and Carrie…
Ian Cobb is owner/editor of e-KNOW
