Welcome to Decafnation

All but the largest communities can no longer count on private media companies. Comox Valley newspapers and radio stations simply don’t have the resources to provide the breadth or depth of reporting necessary to hold governments accountable or to provide a thorough understanding of important issues. Even if they had those resources, media companies that rely on advertising are always reluctant to pursue stories that might endanger that revenue.

Decafnation was launched to fill that gap. We don’t do calendars of events. We don’t report on general news. We focus on the stories you won’t find in the local media. And we aspire to report them in depth. 

It’s an experiment in civic journalism that you are welcome to join. Whether you’ve ever written a story or interviewed someone, you could play a role in the Comox Valley Civic Journalism Project. If you’re interested, send us an email (george@decafnation.net) and we’ll buy coffee (decaf, of course).

The origin of our name

In a world already overpopulated with incivility, think of Decafnation as a refuge from high anxiety. Instead of a triple-shot, pulse-boosting caffeine assault on your nervous system, we aim to give you the milder buzz of a decaffeinated beverage. Our subscribers are the Decaf Nation.

But don’t let the coffee metaphor fool you. You’ll find passionate writing and strong opinions here. We take on controversial topics and explore the edges of unconventional ideas.

The vision is to create a gracious space. A place where people can share well-considered commentary in a respectful atmosphere. Where readers are open to diverse ideas. We are a community of thoughtful, calm people.