Celebrate the NB Media Co-op’s 15th year. Become a member of your local media co-op

This month, the NB Media Co-op celebrates its 15th birthday. Celebrate with us!

If you are a reader or supporter, but not yet a member, please become a member.

If you are a member, please consider donating to mark our 15th birthday.

Did you know that independent media has a shelf life of less than 10 years? While independent media is a labour of love that sometimes cannot be sustained by even the most committed volunteers, the NB Media Co-op has persisted. We have thousands of readers every month — thanks to you.

Our story

Fifteen years ago, on a sunny day in Wilmot Park in Fredericton, activists and wannabe media makers gathered to launch the NB Media Co-op. On New Brunswick Day, August 1, 2009, our publication website, nbmediacoop.org, went live and we distributed our very first edition of The Brief. Following the 2008 New Brunswick Social Forum, we were inspired to no longer blame the media. We were going to be the media.

We were against the Irving empire’s media stranglehold and the news desert and culture of fear it created. We told the stories of resistance to fracking for shale gas when the main provincial newspaper told us to support it.

• We continue to run a publication website and update it regularly with news and commentary from voices often ignored in the corporate media.
• Watch out for our most recent Volume 16, Edition 1 of The Brief across the province.
• We welcome submissions in French and English.
• We continue to remind our readers of forgotten moments when people came together in solidarity and resisted ugly attempts to divide and conquer them.
• We regularly host public events aimed at holding the media to account on the timely matters of the day.
• We joined unrigged.ca – a platform of solidarity featuring news from 20 local, regional and national media outlets from across Canada.

Our staff

It took us, all volunteers, several years, but we finally reached our dream of hiring staff, first a part-time manager then a full-time journalist.

After a stint as our manager, David Gordon Koch became our reporter in 2022. David has covered important stories on the struggles of organized labour, the working poor and tenants, inaccessible transit, pharmacare and health care privatization, far-right interference in New Brunswick politics, climate impacts and activism, and Palestine solidarity.

When David is not reporting, he has been running media workshops with the Common Front for Social Justice and with Mount Allison University students, training people to tell their own stories.

In June, we hired Jigmet Angmo as our part-time manager. Jigmet, until recently an international student at Mount Allison University, brings a fresh perspective to the NB Media Co-op and has been expanding our online reach. The addition of paid staff to our team cannot be overstated. 

Our story of the year

This year, Palestine is our news story of the year. Here is just some of our media coverage –

• David Gordon Koch has reported on the backlash to Palestinian culture at New Brunswick Day and at a flag raising in Miramichi, Natoaganeg First Nation’s ceremony for the children of Gaza, the University of New Brunswick issuing trespass notices to a prof and student, the creation of Independent Jewish Voices chapter in New Brunswick, and Moncton residents calling on Canada to stop supporting Israel.
• Incé Husain, of Fredericton, has been reporting from the Western University encampment where she is now a PhD student. Read Incé’s reports and view her beautiful artwork here.
• Dora Szemok has covered Fredericton Palestine Solidarity as the grand marshal at Fredericton Pride and a rally against hate.
• Sophia Cohen has written about the University of New Brunswick professors denouncing the university president’s response on Gaza.
• Data Brainanta has reported on Palestine solidarity in Saint John.
• Ryan Hillier has written several commentaries, including on the International Court of Justice’s ruling on Palestine.
• Angus Fletcher has responded to the Telegraph-Journal’s dangerous conflation of criticism of the state of Israel with antisemitism.
• Political scientist Shaun Narine has opined about the enormous gulf between Canada’s rhetoric and policies on Israel-Palestine
• Our editorial board member Sophie M. Lavoie has reported on profs explaining the war on Gaza.
• Bruce Wark has factchecked Tantramar council’s comments on Palestine.
• Gerry McAlister told us about Ireland joining South Africa in their case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
• The NB Media Co-op editorial board released the statement, ‘Who is holding the line for Palestine? The media certainly is not.’

Covering Palestine is not without risk. At this year’s annual general meeting, on September 26, we will hear from Zahraa Al Akrass. Zahraa is among the journalists fired in Canada for being too pro-Palestine. She was fired from Global News after sharing criticisms of Israel’s genocidal assault on Palestine on social media.

We invite all friends, members and supporters to join us online for Zahraa’s talk at 7:00 PM following the AGM at 6:00 PM. Register for the Zoom link here.

Will you help us continue to grow?

If you’re not already a member, please join your local media co-op. You can do this by becoming a member or a monthly supporter, or both. Our monthly supporters tend to give $5, $15, $25, $50/month. We welcome every donation – each one helps to keep us going.

Are you already a member? Why not give us the best birthday present ever? Donate to celebrate our 15th anniversary.

Sign up/donate here.

Share our appeal on your social media and with your networks. Encourage your co-workers, union, co-op, or organization to support the NB Media Co-op – let us know if we can help in drafting a funding appeal. We are always happy to chat about story ideas, getting The Brief to you or your favourite café, and mutual support. Contact us at info@nbmediacoop.org.

In solidarity,

Tracy Glynn, Sarah Kardash, Tobin LeBlanc Haley, Susan O’Donnell and David Thomas

NB Media Co-op Board of Directors