Wednesday 2 April 2008

EdSun is 30

Happy 30th to the Edmonton Sun.

Daniel MacIsaac, an Edmonton Sun reporter, provides a 30-year replay today, interviewing Sun vet David Black, an EdSun Day Oner and now publisher and CEO.

The Toronto Sun wasn't yet seven years old when Doug Creighton et al focused on Alberta for the first expansion newspaper. It was not a perfect launch. In fact, it was a turbulent launch and in the midst of it all, Peter Worthington suffered a mild heart attack.

But Doug, Peter, Don and Co. worked their Sun magic, changed the game plan and implemented changes in key personnel that calmed the waters.

Back in 1978, the Toronto Sun was giddy with the success of the tabloid and itching to expand with Sun clones. Edmonton was first, on April 2, 1978. Next came the Calgary Sun on Aug. 3, 1980. The Ottawa Sun was launched Sept. 4, 1988.

There were other ventures - purchases of the Houston Post on Dec. 2, 1983 and the Financial Post on Dec. 31, 1987 - but the baby Suns were the darlings and were pampered during the glory years. They've had a rough go of it in the past decade under Quebecor.

But the EdSun is 30.

The EdSun pioneers, including the late David Bailey, former managing editor; former publisher Elio Agostini; former executive editor Kaye Corbett; Toronto Sun co-founder Donald Hunt, general manager, and others who donned cowboy hats and made Alberta their home, share the credit. It was a rocky start but once the kinks were worked out . . .

And David Black gives credit to the late Toronto Sun columnist Paul Rimstead for being a reader magnet in Edmonton from the day the Sun was launched with a daily circulation of about 40,000.

Happy 30th - and many more.

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