User:WHATS ON DIGEST/sandbox

The What's On Digest, an english speaking reference style magazine, with information that is a crowd sourced from local residents within the community it serves. The first publication started in 2007 in Campbell River, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. Catherine Kaardal, a new immigrant to Canada from Sydney Australia, is the founder and publisher. The magazine was developed in response to the scarcity of local activity and events information that could be found in a central concise space that was easily accessed by the local community in any hour on any day.

The magazine in it's conceptual stages was a collection of local events, entertainment and sport that was presented for each month of the calendar year in a daily calendar format on a single page broadsheet, folded to a handheld flyer. Distributed and made available through several high traffic display locations, on a simple What's On Digest identifiable rack. Contributions of information to upcoming events were submitted by email in the early years. By 2010 events could be entered directly to the Whats On Digest Website by anyone who created an account but, particularly accessed by local event organizers and entertainers or venues. The magazine produced a fresh issue each month, delivered on the first day of the month for the preceding month's events.

In 2010 What's On Digest Licensed the publication, adding thirty two Vancouver Island communities over a ten year period. Port Hardy in 2009, Gold River in 2011, Nanaimo September 2011, Parksville and Qualicum Beach December 2011, Port Alberni June 2014, Cowichan Valley, September 2015 and Greater Victoria October 2018. Each community had its own community header and landing page on the website.

The production of What's On Digest in Campbell River has seven employees that ranged from graphic designers, sales, administration and event curators. With the addition of local licensees each producing their own local edition. The magazine as an island source of information grew very quickly, increasing distribution to 100 thousand copies a year island wide.

In 2015 the company changed it's name to What's On Media, adding a digital branch that would focus on creating videos promoting events plus highlighting things to do in each region. The Things to Do for each community became a staple and was excellent in navigating visitors to the island encouraging them to explore more.

A key player and digital expert Benny McGrath bought the Digital expertise in 2017 into a full digital and marketing operation. Catherine returned to her roots of developing promotions for small businesses now with the addition of digital platforms.

By 2019 What's On Digest was considered the largest event publication in print and online on Vancouver Island, with over 60,000 subscribers to the monthly newsletter and over 21,000 event submissions to date.