Independent's Day

An introduction to the Fredericton Independent

Uprisings against oppressive regimes from Iran to China are playing out in real time on our phones. Greta Thunberg’s social-media sparring with a materialistic kickboxer led to the latter figure’s arrest on shocking charges. David Letterman took us into a Ukrainian tunnel to meet Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a comedian-turned-politician who stared down a super-power and got Putin to blink. Our access to news is truly global, and it offers the possibility of learning about the privilege of living in Canada and even about the shortcomings of our system. 

But with this never-ending stream of information from all over the world (and even beyond the confines of our planet), it’s easy to lose sight of an important tenet of the news: the importance of what’s happening locally.

My career in journalism has taken me around the Maritimes, and even to the United States, but for the bulk of my adult life, I’ve practised my profession in Fredericton, New Brunswick. Working in the newsroom of a small daily newspaper, I’ve written every kind of article one might see, from a train derailment to a cat show, election-night nailbiters to advertorial. And honestly, while there were times when the subject matter induced eyerolls, I can honestly say I enjoyed writing each and every piece, finding satisfaction in hitting on the right lede, crafting a sharp turn of phrase or simply shaping some mundane copy into something intelligible and useful.

But in a career of more than two decades at the Daily Gleaner, my focus has mainly been on the justice system, examining both criminal and civil cases. Put more simply, I’ve been known as “the court guy.” The courts served as my beat at the paper for 20 years, and I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say I’ve seen it all, at least when it comes to the justice system.

And you know what, I want to see more. After all that time and as I reach a turning point in my life as a journalist, I still want to keep telling people’s stories, should they unfold in a courtroom or in a more personal setting.

I recently left the Daily Gleaner after a long and satisfying stint. I joined the staff in May 2001, but when one factors in freelancing, contract stints and an internship, my time with Brunswick News (or its previous incarnations) spanned almost a quarter century. I parted with the company on good terms and with great memories, but that doesn’t mean my time in journalism is at an end. I’m only (yes, only) in my early 50s, and I’m far from ready for retirement.

So as 2023 gets underway, I find myself with an opportunity. I want to continue reporting – it’s a calling, after all. And after building a life and family here in the Fredericton area, I’m not going anywhere. Which brings me back to local news.

As the resources at all news organizations, big and small, continue to dwindle, local news is in peril. We have to find new ways to deliver the news, to consume the news and to support it. I’ve decided to work toward those goals by embarking on my own journalistic endeavour.

Thus, the Fredericton Independent.

This online publication won’t cover every story in Fredericton. At this point, I’m just one guy. There’s no way for one person to present comprehensive coverage of this community or the capital region. Instead, I’m going to cover the stories I choose, and a lot of them are going to flow from the local courts. That’s the content for which I’m known, and my expertise is strongest when it comes to that subject matter. But the Fredericton Independent won’t be a court report exclusively. I’ve got ideas for many other projects and perspectives.

Since editorial control lies solely in my hands, I’ll be able to devote the time necessary for larger features. I’ll be able to post news in a more timely manner as well, and I’ll be able to engage with my audience more directly if I so choose. But it also means I’ll have to take greater care in crafting my writing and conducting my research. There will be no team of editors behind the scenes sifting through my copy to catch typos or to play devil’s advocate.

As I undertake this new project, I’m in a position in which I can practise my craft at my leisure and can post it online for all to read, asking for nothing other than the public’s attention. But as the Fredericton Independent begins to coalesce, that will change. At some point, for it to be viable, it will have to provide an income so as to ensure I can continue with it.

As such, in the coming weeks or months, this newsletter will shift to a subscription model, asking readers to support my journalism financially. In the intervening period, I hope to prove my worth and the value of local news, making the decision to pay for the content an easier one for the reader.

I hope you’ll join me on this journey. I hope you’ll share my journalism with others. And I hope you’ll let me know about stories you feel should be told, be they inspirational in nature, of serious public interest or just simply fun.

You can contact Don MacPherson at ftonindependent@gmail.com.

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