The beginning of the end for Canadian Press/Sun Media relations is underway, an internal memo provided by a TSF tipster suggests.
It appears CP is requesting pre-payment for monthly services at a rate higher than 2008 and Sun Media publishers have been advised not to comply.
This is a memo circulating: "Publishers: Please be advised that Sun Media newspapers are not to comply with a request from Canadian Press for a voluntary pre-payment of 1.5x the monthly assessment, and to continue paying the 2008 monthly rate unless otherwise advised by Corporate."
Several sources have recently told TSF CP and Sun Media ties will be severed by the end of the year for a second time since the late 1970s.
In 1978, the Toronto Sun Publishing Corp. dropped CP in favour of its own wire service, United Press Canada. It was 80% owned by the Sun, 20% by United Press International and serviced the Suns of the days in Toronto, Calgary and Edmonton.
Big on enthusiasm and qualified staff, the money-losing UPC was bought out by CP, its only competitor, seven years later. UPC closed on Jan., 31, 1985.
What the game plan would be for Canadian news without CP this time around remains a mystery. Would it be strictly all of the Sun Media papers feeding each other?
The quality of news coverage would certainly take a hit with major breaking news stories, but news is no longer a priority for cost effective Quebecor.
It would be interesting to hear from a CP bean counter what the loss of Sun Media papers would mean to the Canadian wire service.
How much would Sun Media, Canada's largest newspaper chain, save by dropping CP?
We are still reluctant to believe CP will be bounced because of its heavy use throughout the Toronto Sun, but then nothing is indispensable these days.
From what we heard, the big Sun papers would keep CP...the former Osprey papers lose the service and depend on sharing with the other papers.
ReplyDeleteGoing to be a big loss for both sides of the equation.
CP asking for pension and other concessions from staff. Big trouble ahead.
ReplyDeleteI can tell you the payment thing is 100% fact.
ReplyDeleteI cannot say for sure we're dropping Canadian Press, but my best guess is yes.
IMO, Canadian Press had a lot of f--king nerve asking for a rate hike in this economy ... especially taking the shaky ground they're on into consideration.
At my newspaper, we still use CP business, sports and world copy. The national, life, entertainment and provincial pages are entirely Sun Media. The front four pages, of course, are totally local.
with so much information is easily available via online sources, how long before CP itself ceases to be relevant? At least in its current format.
ReplyDelete>>>with so much information is easily available via online sources<<<
ReplyDeleteAnd what is the nature of those online sources? Do they actually have working reporters?
Jim