When people ask me why I decided to go to journalism school, I always tell them I was inspired by The Narwhal. 

I’ve been following the online magazine since it launched two years ago, and I’ve witnessed how well-told stories have the power to break open political silos and hold power to account. It’s a critical time for our planet, and we need this kind of journalism now more than ever. 

That’s why I’m over-the-moon-excited to be The Narwhal’s first-ever intern. 

As a journalism student, I often hear that I’m entering into a dying industry. 

The Narwhal offers a powerful example to the contrary. 

In a decade of unprecedented layoffs across Canada’s media industry, The Narwhal is bucking the trend. It’s hiring more journalists to write groundbreaking investigative stories and signing up more monthly members to support that invaluable work.

Even in the midst of the global pandemic, The Narwhal had the most successful membership drive in its history. In fact, more than 450 people have become monthly members since the COVID-19 crisis hit. 

Those numbers tell us part of the story, but we learn even more when members explain why they’ve decided to support right now. 

“In these very difficult times, with potentially looking at a whole year without income, it’s not an easy decision,” writes Michael, a new monthly member. “But what you do is that important. Thank you and keep going. You are on the right path.”

For The Narwhal’s second birthday, I got the chance to ask founders Carol Linnitt and Emma Gilchrist to reflect on their first two years and weigh in on what’s next. 

Why did you start The Narwhal?

Emma: We started The Narwhal because there’s been a huge erosion of environment reporting in Canada over the last decade or two. I was working at the Calgary Herald about a decade ago and at that time there was an environment reporter at almost every newspaper in Canada. If you fast-forward to today, almost none of those environment reporters are left. We saw this huge void at a time when biodiversity loss and the climate crisis were top concerns for Canadians. 

Carol: We were in this unique position as journalists to reflect on how many fascinating and sometimes harrowing stories about the environment were going untold. We started to dream up a publication that would not only fill that gap, but would actually reimagine the way that environmental journalism was done. We wanted the publication to have a pulse. We wanted our stories to have this verve and a sense of urgency, even a sense of excitement, to them — and to bring those environmental stories to the world. 

How did you come up with the name?

Emma: I was looking for a Father’s Day present for my dad at one of those kooky gift stores, and they had this Canadiana apron with Mounties, trees, moose and a narwhal. I saw it and I was like, “The Narwhal!”

Carol: Emma just texted me “The Narwhal,” and I was like, ooh!

Emma: So I went home and bought the domain. And I also bought the apron for my dad — he still has it.

The famous apron that inspired our name. Narwhal Editor-in-Chief Emma Gilchrist gifted this beauty to her dad, Peter Gilchrist, on Father’s Day 2017. Can you spot the narwhals? Photo: Carol Linnitt / The Narwhal

The Narwhal began during a decade when record numbers of publications across Canada were going out of business. Why do you think The Narwhal has succeeded against the odds?

Emma: It comes down to our relationship with our readers. Sometimes they send us story ideas and sources. And they’ve also become financial supporters of the organization by becoming monthly members and donors. It’s that direct relationship with our readership that is unique and that has made us succeed during otherwise difficult times. 

We don’t run any advertising, and it’s really the ad business that’s been falling away for media. We very consciously chose to be a nonprofit, and that fosters a very direct relationship with our readers because they’re the only people we serve.

What role do you think The Narwhal plays in Canada’s media landscape?

Emma: I’m proudest of our work to bring readers into the heart of the process and give them a meaningful way to take part in democracy — because journalism is such an essential part of an informed democracy. We also bring a different tone and voice as an organization that’s run by young women. We’re not trying to be a traditional news outlet that covers the environment. We’re trying to bring a little more voice to it and be more engaging. 

Carol:  Sometimes I describe The Narwhal as telling ugly stories beautifully. The subject matter we cover is difficult. It can be exhausting. We recognize that there is a well-researched problem of people tuning out to what’s happening with the natural world because it’s so overwhelming. And it’s very difficult for people to know where their power is, where their voice is and how they can help in meaningful ways. 

We want to reinvigorate people’s relationship with the natural world, but also wanted to re-enchant what journalism could be. Sometimes it’s about oil and gas companies not paying money into the orphan well levy, which can be kind of dry and policy-heavy. But we’re also sending journalists and photographers into the field to tromp into forgotten rainforests and look at enormous cedars and tell the other, beautiful side of the story of destruction. Our emphasis on visual storytelling is on full display in the fact that we had four of six nominations in the photo essay category of this year’s Digital Publishing Awards. 

What has been your most rewarding moment at The Narwhal?

Emma: I think the most rewarding moment has been during the COVID-19 crisis, when we have had the most support from our readers ever. One of my favourite parts of my job is reading the donor comments. I love reading why they decide to become monthly members. These comments are a constant reminder to do right by these people. We’re built on the small donations of thousands of people. 

Carol: For me, it was receiving the gold in the photo essay category at the Canadian Online Publishing Awards and getting to get up on stage to say, “This is the accomplishment of our readers.” After telling our audience that we needed to raise $10,000 to get photos of a new, remote generation of mines in B.C., they stepped up to the plate and fully funded that award-winning piece of content.

What has surprised you most during these first two years?

Carol: The speed of our growth. We hoped that we had landed on a good concept and that we were successfully putting ducks in rows, but I don’t think we had a true sense of just how quickly The Narwhal would flourish. It has genuinely surprised and delighted me.

Emma: We’ve gone from two staff when we launched to 10. The growth has been exponential at a time when a lot of media outlets are struggling. I would have never in a million years believed that we would get 450 new members in six weeks during the greatest economic crash since the Great Depression! 

Carol: Another thing that still surprises me after all these years of being a journalist is what it takes behind the scenes to make a really stellar piece of journalism come to life. We just published an investigation into the harassment of fisheries observers that was so much work — from finding the sources, to talking to the sources, to convincing sources to go on the record, to the rounds of legal review. It’s a monumental effort, and it’s very time consuming and expensive. 

Where do you see The Narwhal headed in the coming years?

Emma: I see our membership program becoming more and more crucial to our success and us being able to expand into more geographic places because of reader support.

Carol: I see us developing more capacity to do more of the in-depth work that we’re becoming known for. We recognize that people don’t want more — they want better. One of the ways I see us growing is by becoming better at what we do and not just getting bigger. 

We’re in the midst of a strange time with COVID-19. What’s keeping you going?

Emma: For me, it’s about getting outside. It helps me keep going and reminds me why we do what we do. Last week, I was out surfing and I had a grey whale in the surf line-up with me — that’s going to keep me going until October! That and the tremendous reader support.

Carol: One of the things that keeps me going is thinking about all the places we can’t go right now. We had to cancel a bunch of reporting trips, and a lot of work that we do is on the ground. I’ve been reflecting on the incredible places that our work has taken us — to Yukon, northern B.C., the coast, northern Alberta. If anything this time of slowing down and focusing has reignited my excitement for getting back out there and exploring these wild places, these endangered places, to meet the beautiful people who live there and tell their stories.

What’s your favourite Narwhal fact? 

Emma: It’s so hard to choose just one! They’re one of the deepest diving mammals and their tusk is actually an overgrown tooth that functions like a very sensitive antenna.

Carol: A group of narwhals is called a blessing, which is, you know, adorable and seems to ring true every day for us around here.

The Narwhal’s reporters are telling environment stories you won’t read about anywhere else. Stay in the loop by signing up for our free weekly dose of independent journalism.

As a new year gets underway, we’ve been taking some time to reflect.

2017 was a breakthrough year for DeSmog Canada’s independent journalism and we really mean it when we say: none of this could have happened without our dedicated readers.

In the past year, our people-powered journalism reached four million people and our reporting informed coverage by the New York Times, Globe and Mail and CBC.

Thank you for reading, sharing and donating what you can to make this work possible.

The stories we cover don’t always have happy endings. But as journalists, we have a unique opportunity to shine a spotlight on abuses of power and increase public scrutiny of important issues. This can, and often does, change history.

As we look at the year ahead, we are incredibly excited to continue to expand and improve the way we tell energy and environment stories in Canada. These are our five key commitments to you in 2018.

1) We’ll strive to re-ignite a shared sense of common good.

Environmental debates around the world have become marked by polarization and dogma. At DeSmog Canada, we are committed to telling energy and environment stories in a way that breaks down walls and brings Canadians together to solve the biggest challenges of our time. This is a tall order, but given Canadians’ overwhelming love of nature, we are optimistic about the potential to advance this conversation in 2018.

2) We’ll showcase solutions.

Being environmental journalists at this point in history means telling a lot of bad news stories. But there are plenty of good news stories out there as well. And we are committed to telling these stories as much as possible to spark hope and light the way for others.

3) We’ll give a voice to the underdog.

DeSmog Canada exists to tell stories that aren’t being told anywhere else. Part of our mission is to give voice to people and communities who often don’t have a voice, from indigenous communities to landowners to workers. Look for us to put the stories of real people at the centre of our reporting even more in 2018.

4) We’ll hold the powerful accountable.

At its heart, good journalism challenges the powerful and stands up for ordinary people. That takes grit. And it takes caring deeply about the public interest. We promise to keep this principle at the core of all of our work.

5) We’ll be bold.

Our goal is to be bold not just in our reporting, but also in our vision for building a new kind of media in Canada. At the beginning of 2017 we counted just 22 monthly members. Now we can count more than 150 monthly members, who together contribute nearly $2,000 a month. Our goal is to reach 400 members by the end of 2018.

Monthly members provide the stability we need to dig deep into stories that aren’t being told anywhere else. If you support our vision for independent journalism in Canada, please become a member today.

Thanks again for all you do to make non-profit media a reality every day. We look forward to serving you in 2018.

P.S. If you haven’t done so yet, make sure to sign up for our (pretty awesome) free weekly newsletter.

The Narwhal’s reporters are telling environment stories you won’t read about anywhere else. Stay in the loop by signing up for our free weekly dose of independent journalism.

“Some newspapers dig. Some newspapers are a constant embarrassment to the powerful. Some manage to be entertaining, provocative, and fair at the same time. There are a few such newspapers in Canada.”

That statement probably doesn’t come as a shock to many Canadians in 2017.

What may come as a surprise is that the quote is actually drawn from a report published in 1970 by the Special Senate Committee on Mass Media. If Canada’s media landscape was stifled by mediocrity nearly 50 years, it’s positively suffocated by it now.

Canada has one of the most monopolized media landscape in the world. And since 2008, the Canadian Media Guild reports that more than 10,000 media jobs have been lost. There are now four public relations people for every journalist in this country — a figured that has doubled since 1990.

Sparks of Hope From Around the World

Yet, while there’s much doom and gloom about the state of the news industry worldwide, there are reasons to be hopeful as well.

In the UK, The Guardian just reported a 15 per cent boost in digital revenues, with more people paying for its journalism than ever before. That includes 230,000 paying “members,” who choose to pay $6.99 a month to support quality, independent journalism.

In The Netherlands, De Correspondent raised $1.7 million in 30 days to launch in 2013 and boasts 56,000 members who pay 60 euros a year in a country of just 17 million people. Its mission is to be the “antidote to the daily news grind.”

“We have a different perspective on what is newsworthy. It’s not sensational but foundational. To uncover the foundation, though, you have to work with the people who read you and who are members,” publisher Ernst-Jan Pfauth said in an interview with NiemanLab.

De Correspondent has its eyes on a U.S. expansion next. There, it’ll join the digital frontier with the likes of ProPublica, a nonprofit newsroom that produces investigative journalism in the public interest — and which has won several Pulitzer Prizes in the process.

Meantime, here in Canada a handful of plucky start-ups concentrated in British Columbia are at the forefront of the new digital frontier. DeSmog Canada is one of them.

Imagine if there was an ‘Environment’ section of your newspaper — we’re that, but fully digital. Our goal is to make complex energy and environment news accessible to Canadians and to shine a light on critical, under-reported stories.

Part Newsroom, Part Non-Profit, Part Tech Start-Up

Like De Correspondent, we strive to go beyond the headlines and help people make sense of the world by looking at the foundational issues.

For instance, instead of reporting on the twists and turn of every pipeline controversy, we look closely at the environmental assessment process and how reforms would decrease the dysfunction. While reporting on a controversial hydro dam in B.C., we zoomed out and spoke to experts in Labrador and Newfoundland about their experience with a similar project. Long after most media have moved on from B.C.’s Mount Polley mine disaster, one of the largest environmental disasters in Canadian history, we continue to shine a spotlight on the need for reform of B.C.’s mining regulations.

The success of DeSmog Canada relies upon a willingness to take risks and experiment. We think of our culture as part newsroom, part non-profit and part tech start-up.

While completing my journalism degree at Mount Royal University, I spent a year working at a newspaper in England. I was inspired by the fearless journalism I saw there by the likes of The Independent, The Guardian, the BBC and Which? Magazine. If an energy company was found to be overcharging customers, the media would go on a full-out campaign to right the wrong. They didn’t feign objectivity where the public interest was concerned.

Back in Canada, I find all too often that journalists lean on a sanguine notion of “objectivity” to excuse a blasé approach to matters of the public interest.

At DeSmog Canada, like De Correspondent, we reject conventional journalism’s ideal of objectivity. We serve the public interest fiercely and put the needs of our readers at the forefront of our newsgathering decisions. Our journalists are fair and independent and operate according to the highest journalistic standards, yet they’re also explicitly subjective.

Can Reader-Funded #News Save Canadian #Journalism? Via @reporteremma & @DeSmogCanada https://t.co/lzmdYRuJZa #cdnpoli #media @TheTyee @jsource pic.twitter.com/IL7F23fKsG

— DeSmog Canada (@DeSmogCanada) November 10, 2017

Proving the Non-Profit Journalism Model In Canada

While there are plenty of people who say non-profit media can’t be successful in Canada, we work every day to prove them wrong.

In 2015, we were named as a finalist for a Canadian Online Publishing Award for “Best News Coverage” alongside the CBC, Globe and Mail and Maclean’s Magazine. And this year Canada’s Clean50 called DeSmog Canada a “powerhouse investigative environmental journalism outlet” while naming me as an “Emerging Leader.”

Our reporting has sparked coverage by virtually every major news outlet in the country, including the New York Times, the Globe and Mail and CBC and has been cited several times in the House of Commons and the B.C. Legislature.

In 2015, we uncovered a secrecy scandal regarding Canada’s oil spill response plans, which created so much public outrage it resulted in regulatory changes. In British Columbia, we’ve spent years doggedly covering the issue of the Site C hydroelectric dam, because it skipped a review of costs and demand by the B.C. Utilities Commission. We tracked down high-profile critics of the project, like the former CEO of BC Hydro, and spent time on the ground with those facing its biggest impacts.

We’ve launched multi-year Freedom of Information research projects to track fossil fuel funding of university research and political interference by energy companies. We’ve also acted as a watchdog for Canada’s track record on climate change and covered environmental appeals cases in remote communities — all at a time that few journalists have been willing or, more importantly, able to track such issues.

Filling Canada’s Void for Public Interest Journalism

For all of this, we are sometimes called “advocacy journalism” or worse, but looking around the world, it’s clear we are filling a void in Canada for hard-hitting public interest journalism.

Many people wonder how we fund our operation. The answer is three-fold: 1) We’re incredibly lean with just two full-time staff and a handful of key freelancers. 2) We’ve been lucky to receive core support from two foundations concerned about the environment and climate change. (We disclose our donors on our website in line with the Institute for Non-Profit News’ policy on donor transparency.) 3) Small donations from readers comprise an increasing portion of our revenue.

This year, our readers really stepped up and we doubled the amount of revenue we received in small individual donations. Our readers have funded photo essays of remote resource projects, independent polling and, increasingly, they are becoming members and giving $10 or $20 a month to support independent journalism. Our readers make us who we are.

As we look to the future, we see this ad-free, member-funded model as the way to sustain in-depth journalism.

Membership Allows Readers To Become Part of Community

While non-profit news outlets have proliferated south of the border, the same trend hasn’t been repeated in Canada.

Why not? It’s largely a matter of charitable law. In the U.S., journalism qualifies as a charitable activity, but in Canada it currently does not. That makes earning foundation grants harder and further points to reader-funded models being the way of the future in Canada.

Times of crisis represent an opportunity for quality journalism. This year, U.S. news outlets have benefitted from what’s being called the “Trump bump.”

In January, ProPublica received $104,000 in donations, up from just $4,500 in October. Meanwhile, Slate generated 1,000 new members per week, passing the 30,000-member mark — a 66 per cent increase from pre-election.

“We believe people don’t become members for ‘access to the content,’ ” De Correspondent’s Pfauth told NiemanLab. “They become members because they want to be part of a movement/community.”

That sentiment bodes well for specialized websites like DeSmog Canada, which give citizens a meaningful way to make a difference and be part of a community.

How to Join DeSmog Canada

While traditional outlets are blurring the line between editorial and advertising more each day, we’ve turned away from an ad-driven model and toward focusing on the reader. Because we don’t have to chase clicks, we can focus on in-depth, sense-making journalism that helps readers be better citizens.

At a time that beat reporters are on the decline, our team works the environment beat with an in-depth knowledge and commitment to investigative reporting not found in most traditional publications.

Times like these require new efforts to build trust and community in an increasingly unstable, fractured world. And the role media plays in shaping and informing public conversations has never been more apparent.

We built DeSmog Canada to jump into the fray, to re-engage Canadians in an increasingly noisy, urgent conversation about energy and the environment. What we’ve learned is that not only do Canadians want and deserve better news — it’s something they’re willing to step in and support.

We are currently on a membership drive. Please become a member today.

The Narwhal’s reporters are telling environment stories you won’t read about anywhere else. Stay in the loop by signing up for our free weekly dose of independent journalism.