The Epoch Times: "A Fresh Look at Our Changing World"

Our Mission

The Epoch Times is an independent voice in print and on the web. We report news responsibly and truthfully so that readers can improve their own lives and increase their understanding and respect for their neighbors next door and around the globe. In our approach and in our content, we uphold universal human values, rights, and freedoms. We are a business that puts our readers' interests first, in all that we do.

Who We Are

The Epoch Times is a privately held news media company. The center is in New York, but our network of local reporters throughout the world uncovers stories that are authentically local, yet also globally relevant. Our independence enables us to report widely and present a diversity of opinions.

Our Purpose

During a time when the world is changing ever more quickly, people need reliable information to understand events and trends. We strive to make a positive impact on people's lives by helping all people understand the world and themselves, and to respect and appreciate each other. We report stories and air opinions unavailable elsewhere.

A special strength of the Epoch Times is our coverage of China. Today the world is increasingly looking to China, as this troubled giant goes through tremendous changes. Business and political leaders, and also world citizens, want to understand better what is happening there. We are able to provide well-sourced stories that no one else has through the original reporting done by the Chinese-language edition of The Epoch Times.

Our Values

A human being's fundamental right is the right to be heard. We uphold and defend freedom of the press, freedom of speech, and freedom of assembly. We are also strong advocates for freedom of belief, and for all human rights, for all people.

We seek to speak out for those who are oppressed, and cannot speak for themselves. We speak to those in conflict, trying to show the common humanity they share, and the compassion that will help them truly respect the rights of others.

We work to tell the stories of daily life in our age, not on the basis of what is sensational at the moment, but instead in terms of what will be of lasting significance. We take the long view of humanity's history and future.

Our History

The English edition of The Epoch Times launched in September 2003 on the web, and in August 2004 as a newspaper in New York. It meets a growing need for news reported and published independently, uncovering stories that have depth and meaning to people. In English, as well as in other languages, it serves a broad, international readership.

The Chinese-language Epoch Times started publishing in response to the growing need for uncensored coverage of events in China. The first newspaper was published in New York in May 2000, with the web launch in August 2000. Local editions published by regional bureaus soon followed, making it the largest of any Chinese-language newspaper outside of Mainland China and Taiwan.

Our Reach

We have offices in 30 countries across five continents, and our content is published in 17 languages. We are proud to offer print and web editions in Chinese, English, German, French, Spanish, Hebrew, Russian, Japanese, Korean and Indonesian, as well as web versions in Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Romanian, Czech, Slovak, Vietnamese and Swedish.

The Epoch Times will continue to expand news coverage and newspaper distribution in more regions, and with editions in more languages. We are optimistic about the future. Watch us grow!

The Canadian Foundation for the Americas is an independent policy institute, based in Ottawa, that fosters informed analysis and debate on social, political and economic issues facing the Americas. We support a greater understanding of these issues in Canada and throughout the region.

FOCAL was founded in 1990 and has a full time staff of approximately 15 people. The Board of Directors provides strategic guidance to the organization and its activities.

Program Areas

• Poverty and Inequality
• Private Sector, Trade and Economic Development
• Inter-American Affairs
• Governance and Democracy
• Research Forum on Cuba
• Internship Program

Financial Support
FOCAL receives funding from a number of sources, including: the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), Foreign Affairs Canada (FAC), other Canadian government departments, the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the Ford Foundation, and the Organization of American States (OAS).

Cubasource serves as an information clearinghouse on Cuba, classifying and annotating the vast and assorted information on the web related to the island, from all key relevant perspectives, and focusing these into a useable knowledge base. This annotated directory includes research resources, key documents, news sources and a comprehensive database of pertinent organizations inside and outside Cuba. Cubasource also includes content about the island produced by FOCAL, such as: a Background Briefing paper series, short analytical articles, Chronicle on Cuba (a monthly summary of key news items and related web links), and Spotlight on Cuba (a periodic electronic bulletin designed to raise awareness and clarify developments on key topics related to the island as these unfold). FOCAL makes available an electronic mailing list where subscribers can automatically receive all materials on Cuba produced by FOCAL.