Barrie -Mondays

Updated re Brockville

Another Sun Media Monday edition is fading to black.

The Barrie Examiner announced Thursday its Monday edition will be axed as of April 11 because it "has become the weakest link, and is a poor representation of what we do on a daily basis."

Say what?  Anything major that happens after deadline Friday night in Barrie, which has a population of about 150,000, won't be available in print until Tuesday?

Readers are encouraged to go to the online Examiner for Barrie-area news, which reflects Sun Media's downplay of print media.

The Examiner story clearly says it doesn't have adequate staff to provide both a competent daily newspaper and a video-ladened website.

"We are now also shooting video on a daily basis and I encourage you to visit www.thebarrieexaminer.com," says David Zilstra, publisher of the Examiner. "This new attention to our website has stretched our resources and we need to make some decisions about the direction of our news operation."

The Examiner, published since 1864, also told readers:

"Unfortunately, due to rising printing and distribution expenses, starting April 14, our Thursday paper will no longer be delivered complimentary to some of our rural areas, including parts of Oro-Medonte Township and Elmvale." 

The slow death of Sun Media print newspapers in favour of online efforts by limited staff continues.

Previous Sun Media Monday print casualties include the Chatham Daily News, and the Kenora Daily Miner & News. The Portage Daily Graphic dropped its Wednesday edition. 

"As well as both the Pembroke News and Pembroke Observer (albeit over a year ago now)," says a TSF reader. 

"Brockville also publishes only five days a week," says another reader.

Have there been other Monday casualties? Let us know.