Alumni Publication Wins Business Award for Hyper-Local News
Will Pearson ‘07 (Champlain College) and Brett Throop ‘08 (Champlain College) discuss their innovative model of providing hyper local news in the age of modern journalism
Thursday, December 14, 2023
Trent University alumni Will Pearson ‘07 (Champlain College) and Brett Throop ‘08 (Champlain College) are behind the award-winning Peterborough Currents news publication that recently took home a Peterborough Business Excellence Award in the Micro Business category.
The bi-weekly digital independent newsletter that has 5,000 subscribers doesn’t rely on advertising or sponsorship but instead on 230 donors who support the hyper local content that keeps the interests of the community and readers top of mind. The organization, based out of Sadlier House, is ‘powered by Peterborough’ and the pair take pride in diving deep into community issues.
“Peterborough right now is in this state of change, uncertainty, and challenge. I’m still optimistic about Peterborough. I still think there’s a lot of opportunity here. We’re not going to achieve that opportunity if we’re not talking to each other, exploring new ideas, and keeping each other informed. It’s nice to do journalism in a community that you’re a part of, and that you love,” Pearson said.
Although Pearson and Throop traveled in different social circles while at Trent, they both discovered their love of writing while attending the University. Pearson worked as a student worker at Alumni House, writing articles for TRENT Magazine and Throop wrote for Arthur Newspaper. For both, their Trent Experience provided a sense of community that fits with the Peterborough spirit they have embraced.
Pearson, editor and publisher, founded Peterborough Currents in 2017 alongside business partner Ayesha Barmania ‘11 (Champlain College). Their venture began as a podcast, delivering thoughtful discussion on local current affairs. In 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the business was reinvented to a reader-funded independent news website. During this time, Throop had moved back to Peterborough and was brought on as a reporter. Barmania has since gone on to pursue new opportunities in film production, but both Pearson and Throop recognized the importance they played in the success of the community news agency.
The Business Excellence Awards are presented annually by Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce, celebrating the accomplishments of businesses, entrepreneurs, and organizations across 22 categories. Previously, Peterborough Currents was nominated for Best News Coverage (Community Publication) at the National Digital Publishing Awards for their coverage of housing and the opioid crisis.
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