Independent’s Pay

Fredericton Independent has been bringing capital region local news for free over past year, but it's time for readers to decide if they want to support that journalism financially

I’ve worked as a journalist for most of my adult life, more than half my time on the planet, and I can honestly say that the past year - operating independently, choosing which stories to tell and how to tell them - has been the most rewarding one of my career.

I’ve endeavoured to be a prolific writer. I recently published 20 articles of varying length in the span of five days. I’ve also strived to achieve a proper balance between my professional life and personal one, and I think I’ve managed to do so - though a nine-to-five workday structure is a thing of the past in my life (sometimes to my benefit, and sometimes not).

I want to continue with this new professional path.  I was in a position to undertake my work independently last year without deriving any income from it, but that time is at an end.

As I noted in an introductory post a year ago, the plan has always been to shift this site to a paid-subscription model. And over the course of that year, I’ve been encouraged by the number of readers who’ve inquired when that will happen because they expressed a desire to support the publication not only in spirit, but financially as well.

My hope is that sentiment is shared by many those who read the Independent, whether they’ve been with me since the start or if they found the site/newsletter more recently. 

I’m aware not everyone who has been reading my stories over the past year will want to pay for the content or be in a position to be able to do so. However, they should know there’s still a benefit to be had in being an unpaid subscriber. I’ll continue to offer some content - such as missing-person alerts and weather advisories - free to all.

I’ve set the subscription rates at $9 per month and $90 for an annual subscription, and that’s in Canadian currency. Obviously, the annual rate is the better value.

Substack also offers a subscription category that’s ideal for readers who want to show additional support for my work that can make the publication a more viable and sustainable one (and a reliable means of income for yours truly). There’s an option to become a “founding member,” through which annual subscribers can choose to increase their annual rate over and above $90 by however much more they wish.

It’s completely optional, and I don’t want anyone to feel they need or should increase their contributions. However, in an effort to build something lasting, I felt I ought to avail myself of the various means that were open to me.

Now, up until now, the Fredericton Independent has focused mostly, but not exclusively, on news out of the courts, both criminal and civil. As I’ve noted before, that’s the field in which I have the most experience and knowledge, contacts and credibility. It’s also an area other local media don’t cover extensively, so the Independent fills a gap in the capital-region’s news scene.

While my intent with the move to paid subscriptions is to ensure the court coverage continues and to secure an income, expanding the purview of the Independent is a possibility. If support for this online news outlet proves robust enough and goes beyond what’s needed to support a single journalist’s work, I’ll definitely look at adding more voices, to bring those in the capital region even more news on a daily basis.

Ultimately, it’ll be up to the community to decide if it wants the content, if it wants and needs the information conveyed in these independent reports. And for that to continue, financial support is necessary, but there are other means to support this work. 

If you believe in the importance of journalism on a local level, help to spread the word. Share links to Fredericton Independent stories. Refer others for potential subscription. Make people aware of this journalism.

As you read this, subscription options are now activated on this Substack site. I’ll continue to offer all content to all subscribers - not just paid ones - for the next couple of days to allow for an adjustment period.

I hope you’ll join me as I venture down this different though not unexpected path. My passion for local journalism - especially Fredericton’s court beat - is as robust as ever. 

I want to share it with as many people as possible while also striving to build something different and new in a shrinking media landscape.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at ftonindependent@gmail.com.