NetNewsledger.com or NNL offers news, information, opinions and positive ideas for Thunder Bay, Ontario, Northwestern Ontario and the world. NNL covers a large region of Ontario, but are also widely read around the country and the world.
To send your Newstips, or News Release email us at newsroom@netnewsledger.com
Reach the Newsroom: (807) 355-1862
If you think Thunder Bay needs to know, share the information with NetNewsledger.com
Thanks!
James Murray
Chief Content Officer
History of NetNewsLedger
NetNewsLedger was founded and forged in a hurricane. In 2006, my plan was to attend Confederation College and study Broadcast Journalism. That plan was interrupted because of an email. That email was from a person in a small community on the Gulf Coast of the United States. They had prepared a list of where the people in their community of fifty-six people were going. The young woman asked if I could publish that list for her.
At the time, I didn’t really know how to do that but felt it should, and could be done. I opened a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and went to save it as HTML. It was a list of the people from that small community, and where they were and how to reach them.
That opened the floodgates to a huge number of similar requests. I ended up, sitting with a Sony Vaio Laptop on my knees, building a team of about twenty people from around the world, and we focused on creating a missing person list from New Orleans.
We ended up with a pretty massive list, and when the project was taken over by the ‘Katrina Scrapers’ and master lists were generated, we were the 13th largest list, one behind CNN. Right then and there I realized that while education is important, perhaps time could be better spent doing rather than learning how to do.
NetNewsLedger.com was born
![NNL - Sept 1 2006](https://www.netnewsledger.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/300pxNNL-Sept1-2006.jpg)
In the early days, NNL was basically hand-coded. I wrote the CSS, and formatted each article individually. It was, in today’s Internet terms almost the same as back in the days when a newspaper was put together with individual pieces of type.
NNL moved, from that early hand-coded site, first to Joomla, and then to WordPress. The look, feel and scope of the site has continued a similar evolution.
![NNL December 3 2007 NNL December 3 2007](https://www.netnewsledger.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/300pxNNL-Dec3-2007.jpg)
NetNewsLedger has moved forward, building and innovating, and doing new things all the time. First working with videographer Paul Morralee, we did the first live Internet broadcast of a Thunder Bay City Council Meeting. Those tests were done at the Italian Cultural Centre while construction of the new City Hall was underway.
![NNL July 27 2008](https://www.netnewsledger.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/300pxNNL-July27-2008.jpg)
In August 2013, returning ‘home’ to the Italian Cultural Centre to do the World’s First Broadcast of a Festa Italiana was really special. It brought NNL full circle in many ways.
There are many ‘firsts’ that NetNewsLedger has accomplished in the eight years since we first started publishing in Thunder Bay.
![NNL Sept 1 2010](https://www.netnewsledger.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/300pxNNL-sept1-2010.jpg)
They include the first-ever Livestream broadcast of a Pow Wow in Northwestern Ontario.
![NNL in 2011 on WordPress NNL in 2011 on WordPress](https://www.netnewsledger.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/nnl-newsite.jpg)
The Lakehead University Native Students Association (LUNSA) was willing to work with NNL two years ago to do that. The students and the Elders were willing to take a technology leap forward with us, and it is a move that I believe helps to forge friendships and teach tolerance in our city and region.
Our goal from the beginning has been simple, we report what is happening, we do it on a timely basis, and we treat the truth with respect.
We also believe in presenting different viewpoints on a story. That is why sometimes you might see articles that are from one side and then from the other. It is our way of moving things together.
If comes from an idea from my Grandfather. He was teaching me how to drive a stick shift on his Ford half-ton truck. He commented to me to push the truck into gear and let the gears figure it all out.
We believe our readers are looking for more than a soundbite. They want and can recognize all sides of the story.
Follow the Truth and Report on the Journey
Moving forward, we continue to grow, innovate, seek out solutions, follow the truth, and report on the journey.
It is a path we continue to follow.
One of our goals has been to take the ‘sound bite’ out of the reporting of news. That is where our ‘Leader’s Ledgers’ and our HD Livestream+© come in. When we cover an event, and stream the entire presentation, like the Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce / Cliffs Natural Resources Luncheon with Minister Greg Rickford earlier in August, we are able to share with you the whole event.
Greg Rickford – Speech to Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce Aug 14th 2013 by netnewsledger
We have done that earlier with the Mayor’s State of the City Address.
Moving the production side forward has come with the amazing help of many people. We have had helpers, volunteers, and dedicated people helping to build NetNewsLedger.
Looking forward, in many ways having NetNewsLedger.com born out of a hurricane is likely not a bad thing. As we have moved forward, there have been many times when things have been stormy. However we have never lost sight of the key goal, and that is to bring to you, our readers and now in many cases, our viewers the news and information you need to now. ‘News at the Speed of the Internet©” is our goal and promise to you.
We were born in a storm, we have matured in a storm, and we are reporting to you about the storms of our world and region!
It is what NetNewsLedger is all about.
The real truth however is we could not do it without you.
And for that, from the bottom of my heart, a heartfelt thank you.
James Murray
President,
NetNewsLedger.com
Some Memories as We Grow
As we have grown, there have been times the news desk has had special people take over. After all the future of the entire region is in the hands of the youth.
![Working on NNL](https://www.netnewsledger.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/workingonNNL.jpg)
Taking a principled stand… NetNewsLedger will stand up for what we believe is right…
![Thunder Bay Maple Forest](https://www.netnewsledger.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Maple-Trees-Cut-on-NorWesters.jpg)
We live in a community where determination and grit make all the difference…
![Dirty Girls Thunder Bay](https://www.netnewsledger.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Getting-Ready-to-Get-Dirty-Dirty-Girls-Thunder-Bay.jpg)
We have formed a special bond with Camp Quality Thunder Bay… Thank you Clara!
![Camp Quality](https://www.netnewsledger.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Camp-Quality-Shiny-and-Clean.jpg)
The First Nations Community has a key and integral role in the future of our city, region, and all of Canada. May all the ladies be “Oji-Steel” like this young lady.
![Fort William First Nation](https://www.netnewsledger.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/FWFN-Amanda-Shawl-Dancer-Ojisteel-in-Action.jpg)
We will bring you news and information sometimes long before anyone else!
![Plan for success in life with a focus on education at Lakehead University](https://www.netnewsledger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/LU-Northwestern-Ontario-Day-Starter.jpg)
![Lama bear shares a few precious moments with Matt Murray and the Stanley Cup](https://www.netnewsledger.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Stanley-Cup-Matt-Murray-Lamarith-Kasper-Mini-Bus.jpg)
![Matt Murray with the Stanley Cup at Thunder Bay International Airport](https://www.netnewsledger.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Matt-Murray-and-Stanley-Cup-TBI-Airport-Arrival.jpg)
![Ontario Regional Chief](https://www.netnewsledger.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Eric-at-Oshki-Graduation.jpg)
![Master Corporal Yvonne Sutherland of Kashechewan practices lighting a fire quickly to warm a search victim.](https://www.netnewsledger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Canadian-Rangers-IMG_8732.jpg)
News at the Speed of the Internet©