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.
The Dominion proposes a different media model: that the paper be not owned by shareholders, but by its readers, writer and editors. It thus remains accountable to those most affected by its coverage, rather than to profit margins.
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.
Now you're talking! Click here to become a member!
The Dominion is a monthly paper published by an incipient network of independent journalists in Canada. It aims to provide accurate, critical coverage that is accountable to its readers and the subjects it tackles. Taking its name from Canada's official status as both a colony and a colonial force, the Dominion examines politics, culture and daily life with a view to understanding the exercise of power.