To subscribe to The Logic click here.

The Nieman Lab has also written a nice feature on what we’re building here.

For over two decades, journalists have lived disruption first-hand: the cycle of revenue decline and cost-cutting has led to layoffs, buyouts and hiring freezes, while technological innovation has fundamentally changed the dynamics of reporting and marketplace for ideas.

Growing up in apartheid South Africa, where there was widespread corruption, denial of the realities of a deeply inequitable country and no free press, I know only too well what happens if we don’t get journalism right.

These have been dark times.

I’ve spent my professional life committed to this fight. I’ve researched the changing reality of journalism (see here and here) and worked in mainstream news organizations as they’ve tried to adapt. I believe that we are now witnessing a rebirth.

Publications are emerging around the globe showcasing outstanding reporting, diverse voices and sustainable business models. More people are consuming information than ever before, with access to a wider range of sources and perspectives.

Now it’s Canada’s turn.

The technological disruption facing journalism is a microcosm of the much larger upheavals facing this country and the world. Like the Industrial Revolution before it, the innovation economy and digital transformation are impacting every aspect of our lives, from where and how we work, to how we consume, govern, socialize and raise our kids. What are the implications of this fourth Industrial Revolution?

Enter The Logic.

Our mission is to help build the future of the innovation economy by providing in-depth reporting on the organizations, policies and people driving it, and sharing their impact on our everyday lives. We want to build a community of Canadians—both at home and abroad—who care deeply about understanding the impact of these transformations and learning how to better tackle our world’s most critical issues.

Canada has a burgeoning tech sector with massive capital infusions from private and government sources. Expatriates hold leadership positions across Silicon Valley and beyond. There is justifiable excitement at Canada’s potential for growth. But what can be done to harness this excitement? How will Canadians shape the strategic and ethical challenges, including in areas where we lead the world, such as artificial intelligence and cryptocurrencies?

And what of the industries that drive much of Canada’s economy and employment, such as  resource extraction, financial services and real estate? How are these traditional companies innovating to stay alive and prosper in a world where disruptors are the preferred choice for investment and capital?

And what of us, the people who make the country work? Will Canada showcase to the world how the gig economy can lead to freedom? Or will we shift inward, or toward populism?

I spoke recently to a longtime editor in Silicon Valley who wondered if journalists had done all they could to constructively tackle the implications of emerging tech giants. What if tech reporters had focused less on high valuations and product launches and more on the responsibilities that come with, perhaps unwittingly, shaping the future?

These are but a few of the vital questions we plan to illuminate.

Underscoring everything we do at The Logic is a commitment to making Canada a better place to live and work, elevating its ambitions and provoking important conversations on what the country wants to be.

Journalism has always played a pivotal role in framing critical discussions, bringing facts to the table and inspiring engagement and debate. At The Logic, we believe the best days of journalism are ahead of us, with readers—not advertisers—at the core of who we seek to serve.

And that’s where you come in.

Please join us, and other Canadians committed to the country’s future, by subscribing to The Logic. We also hope you’ll spread the word by sharing our articles and discussing our coverage. In return for your investment, we commit to working as hard as we can to produce reporting that is consistently engaging, factual and fair.

Reporting that serves you, not advertisers.

As with most startups, we are entering the world in beta. Our growth and success depends on your support. By subscribing early, you will be providing us with the operating capital we need to invest in longer-term investigations. With more subscribers, we will hire more reporters.

As an early subscriber, you will also join The Logic Council, a membership community of service-minded leaders that, facilitated through our journalism, will aim to move our country forward through exclusive events and discussions on the issues that matter in Canada’s innovation economy.

We hope you’re as excited as we are by this simple value proposition, and in being a part of changing the conversation about the future of news in Canada.

If you have ideas on how we can work together, story tips or suggestions, we’d love to hear from you. Please email me directly at [email protected] anytime. I promise I will read and consider everything you write as we build The Logic together.  

With deep gratitude,

-David

To subscribe to The Logic click here.