What is the Dominion?
The Dominion is a grassroots newspaper, published in print and online since 2003. Since it began, the Dominion's small but dedicated staff has published over 800 stories in 50 issues of the newspaper. The newspaper has also published two special issues, and organized local discussions in dozens of Canadian cities and communities.
Why did the Dominion Newspaper decide to become a coop?
The vast majority of media in Canada is owned by a handful of corporations. For example, CanWest Global, the largest Canadian media company, controls over 30 per cent of the Canadian media. The consolidation of corporate control in Canada has resulted in a decrease in investigative journalism, an increase in the number of stories journalists are expected to produce and a narrowing in the range of debate on key issues of importance.
This new cooperative's goals are twofold: to build a media organization that can mount a serious challenge to the corporate version of reality, and to remain accountable to its grassroots origins and ethos.
It was never our intention to start another struggling grassroots publication.
The Dominion News Cooperative is building a news organization through continuously-expanding grassroots organizing. By involving communities which are negatively affected by the misinformation and omissions of the corporate media, the Cooperative is continuously expanding its reach and its credibility with accurate and timely information.
What is a cooperative? What is a "Solidarity Cooperative?"
A cooperative is an autonomous association of people united to meet their common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly-owned and democratically-controlled enterprise.
One type of coop is a "multi-stakeholder coop," or "cooperative de solidarité." We have adopted the term "solidarity cooperative" because it most accurately describes why we became a coop: we want people to engage with their media and have a means to express their solidarity with its mandate.
A solidarity coop differs from other types of coops in that there are different categories of members (rather than just one) who share a common interest in the organization. The Dominion Cooperative has three types of members: readers, writers, and editorial staff. Furthermore, there are three types of reader members: supporter members, subscriber members and sustainer members.
Why would I become a member of the Dominion Media Solidarity Cooperative?
1. To express your solidarity with the Dominion's goal of providing Canadians with accurate, critical news coverage that is accountable to its readers and the subjects it tackles.
2. To financially support the Dominion and thereby ensure the growth and improvement of its coverage.
3. If you are a reader, to access the Dominion's news coverage. If you are a writer or an editor, to access a forum for your journalistic work.
Why would you become a member? In short-- because it would help ensure that a strong independent voice exists within a Canadian media landscape currently dominated by corporate conglomerates. And membership comes with some handy benefits.
What do I have to do as a member?
The coop model formally recognizes the stake that readers, writers and editors have in their media by assigning privileges and responsibilities to each member category. Membership gives you the opportunity to have input into the newspaper's direction and how it operates, allowing you to vote at the AGM, to elect board members and to run for board of directors. You may also take advantage of Dominion member benefits.
If you'd like to learn more about how membership operates within the cooperative, please read our bylaws.
How do I become a member?
Now you're talking!
I am a journalist! I want to learn more about becoming a journalist member.
Tell me even more. I want to get into the nitty-gritty of your plans.