What is North Star?
North Star is an independent, bilingual media launched in January 2022. Its aim is to put forward a working-class, grassroots perspective, one that is often overlooked by the mainstream media, which generally prefers superficial coverage that fails to take full account of the concerns of everyday people.
North Star’s slogan, “The people’s perspective” accurately reflects the point of view our media seeks to promote. When we talk about the people, we’re talking about the workers, their families and the people who make Canada what it is today. We’re talking about the people who build our roads and homes, who teach our children and keep our families healthy, the people who, with their sweat and tears, manufacture and transport the goods we use on a regular basis.
Putting forward their perspective means giving everyday people the voice that the economic and political elite has always stifled. It’s by giving people this voice that they can unite around a common desire for change and common demands.
Where does North Star come from?
The North Star project was born in 2021, initiated by a diverse group of workers from across Canada. The initiative was prompted by a number of observations: the loss of public confidence in the traditional media; the neglect of the workers’ point of view by politics and the media in favor of a growing cultural divide; the abandonment of on-the-ground coverage of labor disputes and workers’ issues by the traditional media; and the absence of a mainstream, accessible medium with a perspective of social change, bilingual and Canada-wide.
It was in early 2022 that the first social media pages were launched by our volunteer journalists. They spent over a year making their mark, experimenting and learning the trade, before launching the etoiledunord.media website in March 2023.
Who are the authors of North Star?
For the time being, all North Star journalists and editors are volunteers, and writers are more or less involved depending on the amount of time they can devote to their local committee. Moreover, the process of writing an article or creating multimedia content is generally carried out collectively by several journalists in a given region.
North Star takes collective responsibility for the articles it publishes, and generally identifies authors as regional committees rather than individuals.
What is people's journalism?
People’s journalism represents an approach that is both similar to and distinct from traditional journalism. It focuses on promoting a working class perspective, that of those who build and run our society on a daily basis. While recognizing the constant acceleration of the news cycle, people’s journalism seeks to distance itself from the extreme competition between journalists and large media conglomerates.
The subjects covered are not chosen with the aim of participating in the frantic competition for attention, to the detriment of their relevance or quality. On the contrary, selection is based on their potential to help sketch a picture of our society, its problems and possible avenues for change. It’s a rejection of elite-biased objectivity, with the aim of giving a voice to the voiceless and educating about the forces that influence our daily lives.
This approach pays particular attention to a subject’s ability to reveal and educate about the false promises of governments and multinationals, as well as the impacts of their actions; to inspire the struggle for real change; to explore perspectives for the future, while exposing the divergent interests between different classes of Canadian society. To this end, we place great emphasis on on-the-ground research and consultation with everyday people and popular movements, in order to remain constantly connected to the realities of the greatest number of people.
How can I support people's journalism?
- By staying informed about North Star’s content and events
- By sharing our content on social media, with friends and colleagues
- By helping to fund the North Star with a donation.
How can I get involved with North Star?
Anyone interested in writing articles or producing multimedia content for North Star can apply here. Once you’ve submitted an application, you’ll be contacted by journalists in your area to get involved in the work of North Star.
How do I submit a news story to the North Star?
Please send any information relevant to the writing of news articles here. This information will be forwarded to journalists in the appropriate region, and can be used as the basis for a new article or as a complement to an existing project.
If you send us a complete article for publication on North Star, please note that we do not accept content that has already been published elsewhere, and that we reserve the right to modify the article according to our needs and editorial line.
How is North Star financed?
For the time being, North Star relies entirely on volunteer journalists and voluntary contributions from our readers.
How is North Star organized?
North Star is structured as follows:
- Journalist members: These are the volunteers who contribute regularly by writing articles, conducting investigations, conducting interviews, and participating in the production of journalistic content. They are the backbone of North Star.
- Local committees: They are present in many of Canada’s major cities, and serve to coordinate journalists in their coverage of regional issues.
- Editorial Committee: Based in Montreal, this committee plays a central role in coordinating the media’s activities. It is responsible for editorial direction, overseeing content quality, and overall management of the medium. It ensures that journalistic and ethical standards are respected.
- Specialized committees: These are made up of members from across Canada. These committees focus on specific areas such as video production, grammar correction, translation, research, or other skills required for content production.
What does the future hold for North Star?
North Star is constantly working to improve the quality of its reporting and diversify its forms of content. We plan to continue producing longer-form video content, distribute our articles in the form of print newsletters, broadcast podcasts, and continue to set up events, both online and offline, to discuss and discuss North Star content.
The North Star aims to become a daily source of information for working Canadians, capable of replacing the media of the political and economic elites by providing daily coverage of issues of importance to the population, as well as exposing the workings of Canadian society through permanent features.
What are North Star's journalistic standards?
In the pursuit of reporting with integrity, truthfulness and in the service of the workers and peoples of Canada, North Star is committed to strong ethical standards and responsible journalistic practices.
Our journalistic standards are guided by the following principles:
- The public interest: Everyday people have a right to know what lies behind the major events of our world, and it is with this knowledge that they can act upon it. Our subject choices are determined by what we think the workers and peoples of Canada need to know in order to intervene in the interests of those who build and keep our society running.
- Accessibility: We are firmly committed to making our content accessible to as many people as possible. We refuse to promote a conversation for intellectuals and elites, and do our best to popularize the concepts we put forward.
- Independence: We refuse to be bound by the strings of Canadian governments, corporations and oligarchs. We are independent, and the topics we cover are determined by the principles of grassroots journalism and the actions of our volunteers.
- Accountability and truthfulness: We recognize the responsibility of journalists, including those who volunteer, to provide accurate and truthful information. Our journalists invest the time necessary to study a subject, ensuring that their information is verified and grounded in concrete facts before publishing an article. When information is presented as coming from an anonymous source, we make sure to verify the information ourselves. Our editors ensure that our information is thoroughly checked, and we don’t shy away from correcting an error if it occurs after an article has been published. To report a factual error, please write to [email protected] or contact us here.