Today, Saturday 28th September 2024, is OnTheWight’s 19th anniversary.
It was 19 years ago today, that Simon and I decided to start what was then called Ventnor Blog, with a post about the Bomb Disposal Unit detonating a mine in Ventnor Haven.
The memory of standing in the bitterly cold wind with a video camera in hand (it was before smart phones) waiting to capture the explosion is just as vivid today. It was a thrill later that day to see the footage being used on BBC South Today, crediting VB at the start of its journey.
Championing the arts
That was the beginning, from where we went on to focus on championing the arts, sharing news of exhibitions, gigs and opportunities.
Before long readers were asking for us to write news articles about planning applications, and for council meetings and elections to be covered.
Then in 2009, when the then-Conservative administration at Isle of Wight council announced they would change the school structure from three tiers to two, our exposure across the Island grew. Here we are today in 2024 with yet another school reorganisation — this time due to surplus school places and declining birth rates.
Reporting with Integrity
What drives us is reporting the news with integrity, compassion and a consideration of those who might be impacted by it, which means we don’t chase the emergency services in the hope of grabbing photographs of those in distress, or publish stories designed as clickbait.
We always strive to present all sides of a situation we’re reporting on, double-sourcing story leads when needed. The team here is proud that this has led OnTheWight to be the only news outlet on the Island to have been awarded 100/100 by NewsGuard, attaining High Credibility.
Innovation
We always try to innovate where we can – for example, OnTheWight was the first news source on the Island to report live from council meetings (2007), long before Facebook live videos became popular (now a faded memory!)
Behind the scenes lots goes on to help ensure readers have the best possible experience and it was great last year to receive so much positive feedback after going through the redesign of the site.
Long-time supporters and readers
It’s been fantastic to have the financial and moral support of Islanders, who tell us they appreciate our approach to journalism.
As long-time readers will know, we made the decision to not plaster the site with ads, but it doesn’t mean our costs are any less than other news publications. If you are able to and wish to support OnTheWight, you can make a donation by clicking on the button below.
Thank you for your continued support – it means a lot.
