The Sprawl doesn’t do press release journalism. Instead of trying to cover everything in the city all the time, we make pop-up editions that go deep on specific stories for certain periods of time. Then we fold up our tables and chairs and go away for a bit.

The Sprawl is a local riff on a global movement toward ​“slow journalism”: nuanced, high-quality, curiosity-driven reporting for people who want more than the daily news grind. We ask: How can our journalism deepen Calgarians’ understanding of their city?

Periods of silence are built into The Sprawl’s design — and that’s a good thing. No one needs another incessant torrent of fragmented information flying at them. We go quiet so we can return with journalism that’s worth your time.

Since we have no beast to feed — no next day’s newspaper, no nightly newscast — we’re free to use different platforms and formats for Sprawl storytelling. Instead of just cranking out one article after another, we ask: How might we tell this story in a new way?

We seek solutions in our reporting rather than just gleefully pointing out mistakes. We ask: As a community, what can we learn from this situation? And how can our journalism contribute to a better, more connected society?

We’d rather engage people than enrage them. And we’d rather dig beneath labels than unthinkingly apply them. In an age of fear, divisiveness and insularity, we ask: How can we better understand each other?

Our journalism isn’t a product that we package up and deliver. That’s the old news model. Instead, we invite readers and listeners into our editorial process, seeking their expertise and insight throughout.

Rather than pretending to be objective, we are upfront about where we come from and how it informs our work, always recognizing that we have more — much more! — to learn. We welcome feedback without defensiveness and own our mistakes.

The Sprawl is not a ​“voice for the voiceless.” Instead, we recognize that in Alberta, as elsewhere, some voices are heard more than others. We ask: How can we amplify diverse local voices, building reciprocal relationships instead of extracting quotes?

We don’t scold anyone on why journalism matters. Instead, we optimistically follow the journalistic maxim of ​“show, don’t tell.” We do the work, then invite you to be part of it by becoming a Sprawl member (if you like what you see, sign up today!).

The Sprawl is not some grand, hidebound journalistic institution. We’re local, nimble and experimental. And we’re always open to change.