Seven years ago, I thought that I was an intelligent person.
But that changed on December 28, 2019, when I met Laurie Weston at an Earls restaurant in Calgary.
After a few productive meetings, we locked down together in the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak. Each day, we would work on our respective businesses from early morning until 5 p.m., at which time we would crack open a bottle of wine and “solve the world’s problems.”
In every topic that arose – everything from astrophysics to zoology – it was clear that Laurie had a deeper understanding.
Running geophysics firm Sound QI Solutions, with an impressive list of international clients, would obviously give her an edge in such topics as geology and physics. However, extensive travels and a curious, high-powered brain made her knowledgeable in many subjects.
But eventually she made a request that would allow me to display my strongest skills. She asked me to edit a piece she had written about AI.
“Finally”, I thought, “I get to show her that I am smarter in one subject.” I sat down at her laptop, digital red pen at the ready, and scrutinized every character.
Hmmm, pretty good lede … oh, great bridge. Uh oh … WTF?! For the first time in 30+ years as an editor, I was reading an article that I did not believe I could improve.
Meeting Laurie Weston was indeed humbling. She helped me understand that I was not smart enough to write news for my own platform.
It was also inspiring. We could take my ideas on how to produce a more pure form of news journalism – no sensationalism and no blind trust of sources – and supercharge the model with essentially irrefutable data presentation, blended with logical interpretation and full transparency.
The next step was to recruit people similar to Laurie – boasting brilliant brains backed by bold benevolence.
Soon the editorial roster included doctor of geology/educator Brad Hayes, acclaimed geophysicist/novelist Lee Hunt, structural-engineer-turned-litigator Kevin Burron, P. Eng., legendary geophysicist Brian Russell, epidemiologist David Vickers, engineer/energy exec Edward Ostrowski, and doctor of physical chemistry Joseph Fournier.
When we launched in February 2021, many consumers were unprepared for accurate news. As we documented facts and provided context on such topics as sea level rise, energy transition, and collateral damage from COVID lockdowns, we were met with a barrage of verbal attacks.
Each time someone insulted me or another writer, I would respond calmly with a comment along the lines of, “We are not endangering your family members by publishing accurate data; we are actually providing critical information that might help you and those close to you better navigate current challenges.”
Five-plus years later, BIG Media has proven itself to be an extremely accurate and trustworthy source of news on the most pressing matters.
If you have not signed up yet, today would be an excellent time to do so
(Rob Driscoll – BIG Media Ltd., 2026)
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