''The Vancouver Observer'' is an independent

online newspaper An online newspaper (or electronic news or electronic news publication) is the online version of a newspaper, either as a stand-alone publication or as the online version of a printed periodical. Going online created more opportunities for newspa ...

. The site was founded in 2006 by journalist Linda Solomon as an online platform for Vancouver bloggers, writers, reporters, photographers and filmmakers. Novelist

Ruth Ozeki Ruth Ozeki is an American-Canadian author, filmmaker and Zen Buddhist priest. Her books and films, including the novels '' My Year of Meats'' (1998), '' All Over Creation'' (2003), '' A Tale for the Time Being'' (2013), and '' The Book of Form ...

was involved in the early stages of the site as an adviser. ''The Vancouver Observer'' covers local politics, arts, the environment, technology, health, nutrition, and other topics. It also provides online events listings and a forum for individuals to upload their own stories. The Observer also has a YouTube channel, which features interviews and mini-documentaries.

Awards and recognition

''The Vancouver Observer'' won the

Canadian Journalism Foundation Founded in 1990, The Canadian Journalism Foundation (CJF) is a non-profit organization that promotes Canadian journalism by celebrating journalistic achievement through an annual awards program; by operating journalism websites, J-Source.ca (Eng ...

Excellence in Journalism Award in June 2014 for local/regional reporting. Finalists in the category included

Global Calgary CICT-DT (channel 2) is a television station in Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, part of the Global Television Network. The station is owned-and-operated station, owned and operated by network parent Corus Entertainment, and has studios at the ...

and CBC Edmonton. ''Vancouver Observer'' reporter Matthew Millar broke the story about Canada's Security Intelligence Review Committee chair Chuck Strahl working as a registered lobbyist for Enbridge, resulting in his resignation. ''The Vancouver Observer'' also broke a story about Canada's

National Energy Board The National Energy Board was an independent economic regulatory agency created in 1959 by the Government of Canada to oversee "international and inter-provincial aspects of the oil, gas and electric utility industries". Its head office was located ...

, a federal energy regulator, coordinating with police for monitoring of environmental advocates involved in the joint review panel hearings on the

Enbridge Northern Gateway Enbridge Inc. is a multinational pipeline and energy company headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Enbridge owns and operates pipelines throughout Canada and the United States, transporting crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids. ...

pipeline proposal. At the award ceremony, Vancouver Observer publisher

Linda Solomon Linda Solomon (born May 10, 1937, Boston, Massachusetts) is an American music critic and editor. Although she has written about various aspects of popular culture, her main focus has been on folk music, blues, R&B, jazz and country music. Livi ...

announced the upcoming launch of a national news site, the National Observer, with a focus on energy and federal politics. ''The Vancouver Observer'' won first place in Masthead's 2010 Canadian Online Publishing Awards green division for best online-only articles for its "Lost Canadians" series, by

Darren Fleet Darren is a masculine given name of uncertain etymological origins. Some theories state that it originated from an Anglicisation of the Irish first name Darragh or Dáire, meaning "Oak Tree". According to other sources, it is thought to come from ...

and

Megan Stewart Megan is a Welsh feminine given name, originally a diminutive form of Margaret. Margaret is from the Greek μαργαρίτης (''margarítēs''), Latin ''margarīta'', "pearl". Megan is one of the most popular Welsh-language names for women in W ...

, who were both completing their master's degrees at

University of British Columbia The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a public university, public research university with campuses near Vancouver and in Kelowna, British Columbia. Established in 1908, it is British Columbia's oldest university. The university ranks a ...

Journalism School at the time. ''The Vancouver Observer'' was also a finalist in three categories in the 2011 Awards: Best Overall Website, Best Online-Only Articles, and Best Newsletter.

''Canada's National Observer''

'' Canada's National Observer'', launched in 2015, is the national offshoot of ''The Vancouver Observer''. The site was founded through a Kickstarter campaign.

References

External links

*Alexandra Samuel
Welcome to Vancouver, the World's Largest Social Media Experiment
Harvard Business Review, February 12, 2010
Vancouver Observer
(official site)
National Observer
(official site) {{DEFAULTSORT:Vancouver Observer 2006 establishments in British Columbia Canadian news websites Newspapers published in Vancouver Publications established in 2006