Speakers representing independent media in Vancouver gathered on Wednesday to talk about the future of Canadian news and collectively tried to answer how both non-corporate and digital media can secure funding.

The emphasis was on critical, original reporting. Questions from the audience circled around the issues of anti-corporatism and public broadcasting, instead of online opportunities and digital platforms.

However, there was an undercurrent to the discussion that sparkled with the opportunities of new media and on-line journalism.

The Campaign for Democratic Media hosted the discussion, which included Charlie Smith, editor of the Georgia Straight, Linda Solomon of the Vancouver Observer, Colin Preston with the CBC and the Canada Media Guild, and Allan Jensen of Co-op Radio. David Beers, editor of The Tyee, was not on the panel but was present and taking notes.

As founder and publisher of the Vancouver Observer, a “deeply local” Vancouver online magazine, Solomon said even she is little more than a volunteer. Would she like to pay journalists for their quality work? Obviously. Is she grateful they are prepared to work for little pay? Absolutely.

After three years developing contacts and content, she said she is finally beginning to see the potential for a sustaining revenue stream through advertising. The dedication to reporting exclusively city issues and personalities is an advantage, she said. It is also an asset to run under-reported stories and to support journalists doing investigative work.

Solomon said:

Our philosophy is, if there is any money for small media it really is in the community and it really is going to come out of forming relationships on the ground with real people in real ways, which really was what journalism used to be.

She came to the West Coast from New York City five years ago and has been frustrated with the media climate in Vancouver.  But Vancouver and Canada are not unique in their high levels of media ownership concentration, numerous lay-offs and over-all industry contraction.

The reasons she became a journalist—to inform, enlighten and entertain—are once again her motivation and now the reasons she finds running an online magazine so satisfying.

Generating a secure income, creating paying jobs and growing the website are constant challenges, but the digital platform allows room to experiment and grow.