Friday 19 June 2009

Money, money

Quebecor Media has set up a new branch, but it has nothing to do with enhancing the quality of journalism across its newspaper chain.

Nope, it's a new flyer, printing and distributing subsidiary, says a Canadian Press story.

Love those money-making flyers. Quebecor Media distributed more than 1.5 billion across Canada last year, says CP.

Critics say many of Quebecor's smaller dailies and weeklies are being turned into glorified shoppers, with flyers shadowing local content.

CP says the move will group its printing plants in Toronto and Mirabel, Que., north of Montreal, with Alex Media Services, Messageries Dynamiques and the community weekly distribution network under the banner Quebecor Media Network.

(Keeping track of your Quebecors: Quebecor Inc., Quebecor Media, Quebecor World, Quebecor Media Inc., Quebecor Media Network.)

Which raises the question of printing schedules and newspaper replates?

Do the editors of Sun Media newspapers being printed at Quebecor plants still have the freedom of replates?

Can they pick up the phone and stop the presses for major news updates, the latest sports scores etc.?

Or is it one uninterrupted press run squeezed between flyer and telephone directory print jobs?

A TSF tipster says the deadline for his newspaper could be pushed back to 7 p.m. because of printing plant scheduling.

A responsible and competitive print media is clearly at the bottom of the list of PKP's priorities.

4 comments:

  1. re: "Can they pick up the phone and stop the presses for major news updates, the latest sports scores etc.?"

    During the just-finished NHL and NBA playoffs, the Toronto Sun missed final scores and final reports from several games, including games which were played in the Eastern time zone and *not* overtime. (I'm in Toronto and get the latest edition).

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  2. Our paper has been told that if we miss our deadline - no paper next day. The print schedule is that tight, so no way papers can replate

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  3. MOLSON has bought the Canadiens!

    PKP will be in a foul mood

    http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/276879.html

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  4. http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=282431

    Molson gets the Habs! PKP will lash out with more job cuts!

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