FROM THE PUBLISHERâe(TM)S LAPTOP – Preparations for todayâe(TM)s relaunch event on Media Democracy Day have been percolating for months.

Now the big day is here! We welcome you to explore the beta version of the new rabble, beta.rabble.ca, as we prepare to take independent media to a new level with our multi-media platform, built on open source software.

I feel tremendously proud of what is about to unfold here … for it is a collaborative work of a small dedicated group of steely part-time staff who contribute enormously of their time, as well as many volunteers and contributors who exemplify what rabble is … determined, enthusiastic and forward-looking.

As the publisher of rabble.ca my task is to keep it all moving – not by containing it – more like by making all the links work – including the money part, which, as anyone involved in non-corporate media knows, ainâe(TM)t easy!

This past year has been focused on the relaunch, as it became fondly known. This in and of itself is a massive undertaking. It has meant literally re-building what was already a complex, super active website, and turning it into a state of the art, multi-media, user friendly site where you, our loyal (and we hope also many new) supporters will want to be, and will want to take with you on your blackberries, iPhones and other mobile devices.

We think we’ve done it! Weâe(TM)ve listened to our supporters, done surveys, received valuable feedback, engaged with our sustaining partners who helped us along and worked with a fabulous team (Annares Workers Cooperative and Community Bandwidth), who transformed ideas, dreams, obstacles, and challenges into something that we’re truly proud of. We hope you will take the next few days of beta rabble to provide us with more of your invaluable feedback.

So on this Media Democracy Day at rabble we introduce:

  • An amazing new search engine to get you to where you want to be quickly
  • rabbletv (no longer in beta, but always improving!)
  • A new look and navigation for the Canadaâe(TM)s largest progressive podcast network: the rpn
  • A newly designed look – but the same rabble quality
  • Multi-media galore! (finally all the rss feeds, sharing tools, images and video youâe(TM)ve wished for!)
  • Political analysis and commentary to provoke, stimulate and cover what’s NOT covered in mainstream media, through our news features, analysis and blogs. Following on the huge interest in our federal election coverage, weâe(TM)re bringing back some of the most though-provoking commentators from across the country, and we will also be introducing you to new voices.
  • And, of course, loads of room for babblers who say it all!

    • We have more exciting features to be introduced in the coming months, including what many of you have been waiting for: an Activist Toolkit.

    We even have a new Best of rabble book in print, and hope to be hosting a launch for it in it a town or city close to you!

    rabble.ca is a community-based website, built not by one person or one group of (partly) paid staff, but by a broad collection of people working to make progressive change in this country. And when we see the role our corporate media counterparts played in electing the minority government last week, we feel renewed in our commitment to make to build a community of independent media in Canada.

    Weâe(TM)re very proud, on the occasion of this relaunch, to be introducing new community partnerships with the Council of Canadians, the Douglas-Coldwell Foundation (who have been supporting the development of the Activist Toolkit) and the United Steelworkers (who join rabble today as the sponsor of our ground-breaking rabbletv).

    You know, keeping an entity like rabble alive and well is sometimes daunting. Money isn’t always easy to come by and we are always very grateful for the financial support we get (none of it corporate or government provided) from our members, supporters and sustaining partners.

    It was only eight years ago that rabble began with a small number of people who dreamed there must and could be a progressive, independent media source for Canadians. Their vision got us here and we thank them for that. Along the way we have grown, evolved, gone through challenges and remained passionate about who we are and what we do.

    Thank you to all rabblers for your strong and continuing faith and support. You make it happen!! We look forward to your feedback on the new site.

    Please join us in celebrating a made-in-Canada independent media success!

    kim

    Kim Elliott

    Kim Elliott operated as publisher for rabble.ca between 2006-2023.