Updated June 18, 2913
Another 500 Sun Media jobs have been cut by Quebecor, including a Toronto Sun Day Oner and many other loyal employees across the chain. Names posted will be added to this list.
Known casualties:
Ontario newspapers axed since October
Amherstburg Echo
Capital City News in Ottawa
Dunnsville Chronicle
Guelph Review
Kitchener-Waterloo Review
Leamington Post
Lindsay Post
Midland Free Press
West Niagara News in Grimsby
Windsor This Week
The Sun tabloids
Calgary Sun
Jim Legg, desker
Sandra Smith, executive assistant
Roy Clancy, columnist
Edmonton Sun - All 35-plus pre-press employees, plus three copy editors, a photographer,
Jeremy Loome, editorial writer and letters editor, 17 years service Maria Ladouceur,
long-time executive admin staffer
Toronto Sun
Jim Thomson, Toronto Sun Day Oner, 41 years service
Lorrie Goldstein, senior associate editor, 34 years service
Gary Loewen
Ottawa Sun - 10 jobs lost, including
Mitch Axelrad, editor-in-chief
Jackie Lawrence, manager
Ottawa Sun printing plant
Winnipeg Sun - seven employees
Ontario community newspapers
Brantford Expositor
City editor
Newsroom assistant
Managing editor
resigned (Nov. 21)
Chatham Daily News
Bruce Corcoran, managing editor (shown the door Nov. 26)
Pam Wight, assistant managing editor (Nov. 26)
Jeanine Foulon, ad manager
Ron McLintock; circulation manager
A contract ad rep
A customer service rep
Plus Jim Blake, former managing editor and publisher, who
"had editorial oversight of a
host of weekly newspapers in southwestern Ontario"
Chatham This Week
One reporter
Clinton News-Record
Editor
Collingwood Enterprise Bulletin
Doreen Sykes
Cornwall Standard Freeholder - one reporter, an advertising clerk, plus
Milton Ellis, publisher
Anthony Joubert, circulation magaer
Kenora Daily Miner and News
Bob Stewart, news editor/columnist, 36+ years
Mitch Wolfe, publisher
Kingston Whig-Standard
Publisher three weks ago, ad
director on Monday, sports editor on Tuesday
Kingston printing plant - more than 40 employees
London Free Press
Sports editor
Niagara Falls Review
Seven layoffs, one early retirement. Six are full-time positions
Orillia Packet and Times
Ad manager, 12 years
Circulation manager, 13years
Ad rep, 5 years
Owen Sound Sun Times - two reporters, plus
Cheryl McMenemy, publisher
Karen Pridham, news editor, 27 years service
Sault St. Marie Star - four jobs
Publisher, editorial assistant, reporter and ad sales rep.
Sarnia Observer
George Mathewson, news editor
Simcoe Reformer
Merv Hawkins (gone earlier), group publisher, previously senior group publisher for Sun Media Bowes publishers
for about 30 years before that job was eliminated
David Langford, corporate sports editor .
(Daryl Smith, group publisher for southwestern Ontario and Sarnia Observer, ousted last month)
St. Thomas Times-Journal
Patrick Brennan, reporter
Robert Chaulk, photographer
Stratford Beacon-Herald
John Kastner, managing editor
Welland Tribune - Four jobs lost
Outside Ontario
Drayton Valley Western Review (Alberta)
The publisher and group publisher of Central Alberta
Portage La Prairie Daily Graphic
Barry Clayton, publisher
Tuesday, 13 November 2012
Christmas 2012 layoff casualties
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As much as people want to know names, it's unfair to those who've lost their jobs to have it told to the world before they've probably even had time to tell the people they know. Totals are good but names will get around soon enough without it being posted here.
ReplyDeleteThe restructuring will result in seven layoffs and one early retirement at The Niagara Falls Review, including employees in all departments. In total, six full-time positions and two part-time jobs are being impacted in Niagara Falls.
ReplyDelete-Niagara Falls Review
St. Thomas Times-Journal, reporter Patrick Brennan and photographer Robert Chaulk.
ReplyDeleteAny word on the Pembroke Observer?
ReplyDeleteSo far, only lost one person at the front counter... waiting for the other shoe to drop...
DeleteHave there been any papers unceremoniously gassed or is PKP still gutting them and leaving their shells standing?
ReplyDeleteOwen Sound Sun Times, publisher Cheryl McMenemy and three newsroom positions. http://www.bayshorebroadcasting.ca/news_item.php?NewsID=52329
ReplyDeleteAt the Whig-Standard our publisher got axed three weeks ago, the ad director on Monday, the Sports editor on Tuesday. Our printing plant is closing too with 40 jobs lost. Not sure where the paper will be printed. Probably end up with really early deadlines so we can't get night sports events in the next day's paper.
ReplyDeleteWith the closing of the presses in Ottawa and Kingston and the talk of the success of the pay-walls for JDM and JDQ, I give the print editions two years at best. Quebecor will go all digital just as fast as they can.
ReplyDeleteDoreen Sykes from the Collingwood Enterprise-Bulletin was shown the door personally by bigwig Mike Power.
ReplyDeleteSault Star lost 4 jobs -- publisher, editorial assistant, reporter and ad sales rep.
ReplyDeleteGone earlier: Merv Hawkins, group publisher Simcoe Reformer et al. Previously, he was senior group publisher for Sun Media Bowes Publishers for about 30 years before that job was eliminated.
ReplyDeleteDavid Langford, corporate sports editor and London Free Press sports editor.
You can add two at the Daily Miner and News (Kenora, Ontario)
ReplyDeleteBob Stewart - news editor/columnist - 36+ years
Mitch Wolfe - Publisher
Also Barry Clayton, the publisher at the Portage La Prairie Daily Graphic
has publisher position been eliminated yet at the Sentinel Review in Woodstock?
ReplyDeleteRumour is the ad manager was canned and the publisher is filling that spot
Deleteremember this when bying your KOBO and reading the paper on line
ReplyDeleteI will. I'll remember how the old guard resisted the future even after it arrived, to the obvious conclusion. But it won't be a KOBO, that's yesterday's method. It'll be my smart phone and my 7" tablet. I for one am not lamenting the days when we chipped the Emperor's missives into stone either.
DeleteThe future? Everyone's talking about digital but the response from advertisers is almost NIL. Sure, paywalls are now being insituted but they won't contribute enough $ to maintain historical staffing and reporting resources.
DeleteAccording to an American study for 2011, by Pew I believe, for every $7 lost in print advertising, one $1 is recovered in web advertising. Either web ad sales persons can't convince businesses to advertise or businesses don't think it's a good alternative to paper. No one denies the future is here Anonymous Nov.16, 3:39 p.m. You don't need an emperor without clothes to tell us that. It's just that no one seems to quite know what to do with it.
DeleteAre these cutbacks taking place more in Ontario than out west? I ask this because the Gaulin job board has postings for Sun Media editorial jobs in Cold Lake, Alberta and Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan.
ReplyDeleteOdd to see Sun Media papers hiring when so many others are being gutted.
In Niagara they fire the grunts and promote management - managing editors promoted to editors-in-chief and city editors promoted to managing editors. Do they not realize how awful that comes across and how it further serves to demoralize those who have witnessed the demise of those they worked next too? Brutal!
ReplyDeleteWithin days of stripping the company he (PKP) makes the following speech:
ReplyDeleteVIGNON, France — If companies want to be part of a nation’s cultural fabric, they must be concerned with all of society, not just their shareholders, says Quebecor CEO Pierre Karl Peladeau.
Peladeau was making a speech to a forum on cultural diversity in Avignon, France, on Friday.
Peladeau told QMI Agency that in past decades, value for shareholders was the dominant concept for corporations. But businesses shouldn’t be a vehicle uniquely for the service of shareholders, he said.
“Artists, politicians, citizens and civil society in general ... all these people participate in the success of companies.”
http://www.torontosun.com/2012/11/16/business-and-culture-can-work-together-quebecor-ceo-pierre-karl-peladeau
They'll never hear about the carnage he has created, Sun Media is not a respected news gathering platform, not like Reuters.
ReplyDeleteIn many cases, Sun Media's long history of 'nepotism' has cost hard-working employees as they no longer have a role to play beneath PKP's system. Layers of management, he says. Here's hoping the man who dreams of helping bring the NHL back to Quebec also has the energy to monitor closely the upper echelons that are in place at his media company from here on in.
ReplyDeleteAs a former employee who was downsized a few years ago, the topic of nepotism, and seeing it continue used to fasinate me. How can an HR Director hire her son to work in Classified, then downsize the Department, letting go so many people with many years of service over him, then move her son in as her assistant, then downsize more people, and give him their work when his HR work is minimized by structural changes. How can that happen? Where is the union?
ReplyDeleteI would like to add an addendum to what I wrote. I was in management. I was not in the union. But I understood why the union got in. Complaints to HR were falling on deaf ears. There was some pretty heavy mistreatment going on. Serious stuff. A union was inevitable. But all the management training Sun Media sent me on was supposed to teach us how to treat employees with respect, monitor performance, train, etc. I was asked by my HR director once, ''who's side are you on?'' I replied, ''I am on the paper's side.'' I loved the paper. I loved the staff. I wanted results and I wanted to make revenue to keep seats warm. There was some good people in management, and good people on staff.
ReplyDeleteNiagara 11:38: Strongly agree.
ReplyDeleteCornwall Standard Freeholder
ReplyDeleteLost Milton Ellis, Publisher, Anthony Joubert Circ Manager, one reporter and our Advert Clerk.
We were told that Darren Murphy will be back in 2 weeks time...waiting for the next set I guess...
Is it only Ontario that has been mainly affected? In Alberta, there are not many. i dont think they have done all the job cutting. Do you think some community papers will shut down?
ReplyDelete5:10: Edition-cutting is being talked about for at least two papers in our Ontario group
DeleteWhich pubs?
DeleteHas anyone heard about cutbacks in Kitchener-Waterloo?
DeleteI was wondering that too, Did anybody in the Quebec wing of Quebecor lose their jobs?
ReplyDeleteMore than a couple publishers – good, experienced people with roots in the community - took packages on their way out the door in Alberta as well.
ReplyDeleteThree people have been or will be let go from the Owen Sound Sun Times newsroom. News editor Karen Pridham, who had been there since 1985, is already finished. Two reporters received layoff notices but a couple of older newsroom vets may accept buyouts and save those two jobs. Regardless, the newsroom strength in Owen Sound will be whittled from 11 people to eight. Sad situation.
ReplyDeleteJournalists who have lost their jobs in small, somewhat remote markets such as Owen Sound won't be able to replace their jobs without relocating. Big disruption if they have a working spouse, families or own houses which they may have to sell at a loss.
ReplyDelete10:21 this is the joke about this company. Most of us live in our communities and love our communities because it is home. There are so many managers, publishers and MEs today in our chain who don't live in the community and don't really care about the community because all they care about is driving home at night to another place they call home
DeleteDitto, this is one of my pet peeves about the corporations buying up all of the local papers. Not to mention that I worry that they may close down some of the newspapers someday soon due to all of the cuts they have been making. A lot of newspapers now have skeleton crews.
DeleteBy the end of World War II, 80% of newspapers were independently owned and operated. Today, at least 90% are controlled by 6 major media corporations.
I would be worried since most of what we see and read are controlled by just 6 corporations and probably will go down to just 3 corporations within the next decade or more. Eventually, they may have to be forced to split up like they did with Bell (AT&T) in the USA in 1983. The sad part is, AT&T is already reversing it now that there's only 3 major telecoms which would be AT&T, Verizon and Sprint. A few years ago, they had a lot more to choose from, but nowadays, not so much.
My point is that we cannot allow monopoly especially when it comes to the news, but it is being allowed.
Brantford Expositor City Editor and Newsroom assistant let go last week. Ken Koryama from Welland Tribune named new publisher. Managing Editor resigned today
ReplyDeleteThere will also be one more editorial job cut in Brantford
DeleteSeriously? Resigned? This is exactly what the company wants so they don't have to pay severances. Go on stress leave or something and make them pay
DeleteHe negotiated his exit...
DeleteRob Granastein re recent Sun Media layoffs:
ReplyDeletehttp://j-source.ca/article/job-cuts-sun-media-gut-local-news-argues-former-editor?utm_source=CJF+Programs+Newsletters&utm_campaign=9e9cf8f777-2012_11_2111_21_2012&utm_medium=email
The sooner the rabidly bilious Suns set the better.
ReplyDeleteMaybe space will open up for honest journalism.
The following ad appeared seven days after the same paper gutted some of its copy editors.
ReplyDeletePage Builders (multiple)
The Calgary Sun
Sun Media is seeking page builders to paginate pages for some of the chain's daily newspapers.
Working out of the Calgary Sun, these layout personnel will design tabloid pages including news, entertainment, business and sports. Graphics work will also be required. Experience in the publishing industry an asset.
This position involves working afternoons and evenings, as well as some weekends.
Applicants should be prepared to start their first shift December 14, 2012.
You can add John Chambers, ME of the Brantford Expositor to this list.
ReplyDeleteAlso - Paginators are becoming the new editors, but without the editorial background as most of them that are hired are merely graphic designers. Pretty great that paginators are becoming this company's last line of editorial defence. What a load!
The first casualties of the latest blood-bath were Sun Media's operational VP's, Julia Kamula and Gord Norrie. Clearly the mandate was to remove major salaries regardless of the leadership void and morale decline that was created. Those left to run the operations are inexperienced and confused.
ReplyDeleteRecommended read: John Downing's Band of Brothers blog
ReplyDeletehttp://blog.johndowning.ca/2012/11/sun-beams-and-sun-spots.html
http://j-source.ca/article/sun-media-cuts-toronto-sun-editor-james-wallace-responds
ReplyDeleteMy favorite portion of the article is this:
Delete"Across our 36 dailies and 200 weeklies, excluding production changes, editorial cuts average less than one person per newsroom.
That’s hardly “gutting.”"
Obviously Mr. Wallace has never worked in a small weekly where newsrooms often have anywhere from 1-3 people. Losing "less than one person per newsroom" can have a drastic impact on these operations.
Not very convincing.
DeleteWallace glosses over the loss of editors in favour of pagination centres. There was a time when copy editors were integral members of newsrooms - the last line of defence. Quebecor puts no value on copy editors as they are always the first to go when cuts are made. It's just a matter of time before all copy editor positions are eliminated. Stories will go directly from reporters to paginators who have no or little journalism experience, thrown on a page and sent to pre-press. They can live with mistakes as long as a dollar is saved.
DeleteDon't most of the people working in centralized page factories have a journalism background? I've never worked in one myself, but that's the impression that I get from people who have.
DeleteAt Postmedia, maybe, but on Sun Media job postings it states that a journalism background is considered an "asset," it's not a requirement. They want graphics people.
DeleteNice try, Jamie. They've already gutted the newsrooms. You can't gut a skeleton, though they keep trying.
DeleteOf course, Quebecor had to have someone come to their defence.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/sunnews/straighttalk/archives/2012/11/20121124-080258.html
ReplyDeleteSalim Mansur is, one way or another, out as well.
I'm dumb, so maybe James can explain this to me:
ReplyDelete500 jobs losses: "Across our 36 dailies and 200 weeklies, excluding production changes, editorial cuts average less than one person per newsroom." Okay, so 200.
Figure another 100 at the two printing plants, publishers and their admin assistants, editors, photographers, reporters and Sun execs. Let's call it 300. Conservatively. I'd peg it closer to 350 over the last month.
James: "But the overwhelming majority of staff impacted by Sun Media’s current restructuring are on the advertising side of our business."
No, they're not, James.
The Clinton News-Record editor was shown the door while the newbie reporter stays on.
ReplyDeleteNo surprise, really.
DeleteThe editor likely made more money than the reporter so the higher salary gets shown the door.
It's not like having someone to give guidance to a young reporter is important to Stun Media.
At the Chatham Daily News, they dumped the ad manager, Jeanine Foulon; circ manager, Ron McLintock; a contract ad rep; and a customer service rep on Black Tuesday.
ReplyDeleteA week later, the day he came back from bereavement leave for the death of his mother, they sacked the managing editor, Bruce Corcoran.
And today they gunned down the assistant managing editor, Pam Wright.
Meanwhile, another person shot on Black Tuesday was Jim Blake, a former managing editor and publisher of The Daily News, who had editorial oversight of a host of weekly newspapers in southwestern Ontario.
With thanks to the Globe & Mail's Steve Ladurantaye, here's a link to the Sun Media memo on the upcoming paywalls. If I read this correctly, it doesn't sound like the smaller dailies or weeklies will be impacted at the present time:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.scribd.com/doc/114600910/Sun-Media-Paywall-Q-A
One of the casualties — Sun Media shuts down Dunnville Chronicle.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dunnvillechronicle.com/2012/11/28/end-of-an-era
Dunnville Chronicle shut down on Tuesday at 4 p.m.
ReplyDeleteFive (I think that was what they had) staff shown the door that day. Last minute story thrown on the bottom of the front page and an online notice.
No warning of closing at all.
That's 120 years down the tubes and a community without a paper. Simcoe is supposed to cover the area now. Simcoe is a half an hour, or more, away.
That's horrible. I used to work on their newspaper all of the times while I was employed at Welland Tribune. I wouldn't be surprised if they follow suit with the other local weeklies like Inport News, Pelham News, etc sometimes soon.
Delete*shudder*
Sun Media cannot even do a proper farewell edition. Way to go Sun Media, you sure know how to insult a community, a paper's long tradition and the many good people who have worked there. Now, to top it all off, they go and make an odd announcement about serving future coverage needs. Welland and Dunnville have more in common than Dunnville and Simcoe but Sun Media would not know this because they have become so detached from their communities, and or, can't even bother too look at maps. Zero chance Dunnville turns to Simcoe for news or advertising. Zero
ReplyDeleteJust like Dunnville, they shut down their paper in Grimsby-Lincoln-Smithville area. 100-plus years just cut out of the budget.
ReplyDeleteA couple days after the Dunnville paper was axed, the West Niagara News (community weekly in Grimsby-Lincoln area) is also getting shut down by Sun Media. Unlike the Dunnville paper, which had been around for more than 100 years, the West Niagara one was started up literally overnight a few years ago to compete with Metroland's Niagara This Week. Another example of Sun Media abandoning local news for mass-produced templates. Community dailies can't be that far behind these dying weeklies — readers won't fork out for paywalls unless the content is actually local. Sadly, Sun Media either hasn't realized this or simply doesn't care.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.westniagaranews.ca/2012/11/29/notice-to-our-readers
West Niagara News got shut down today, it's in Grimsby. Terrible news!
ReplyDeleteWell, as a long-time subscriber, I had let my credit card on file with the Sun lapse (sorry, NEVER Sunmedia). They called for a new card, and I just cancelled. Other than the New York Times crossword puzzle, they've pretty much ruined everything else. From too small-to-read and D-grade comics to fluff, filler and freaks, no thanks.
ReplyDeleteI was doing some fall cleaning and came into my newspaper collection. Yes, everyone is now thinner, smaller and dumber (even the Star and Globe). But at least I had at least one well-written, well-researched, thought-provoking column, a few true breaking news stories and some fun. Now, its like a (not-very) fat version of 24. Who knew THAT would happen?
Just to respectfully correct 3:25 p.m. the West Niagara News was not started overnight. Three papers that were all 100 plus years-old, the West Niagara News, the Grimsby Independent and the Lincoln Post Express amalgamated to become the WNN. The amalgamated paper bore the banners of the three papers for quite a while. Seven staff members lost their jobs together today, some of whom had worked together for years.
ReplyDeleteOops that was meant to be West Lincoln Review, Lincoln Post Express and Grimsby Independent
DeleteWhat's wrong with 24? You know they put five editions of that paper out in five cities from one central Toronto location with a staff of 8 total people, right? That's efficient, modern newspapering!
ReplyDeleteEight people? Wow. That's crazy if that's true.
DeleteMetro has several dozen people making 10 papers, and things get pretty intense.
Sun Media asks their employees how fast they can run 100 metres, and when they find out how fast you are, management says, "Good. Now, keep up that pace all the time." Therefore, according to management's logic, you only need a few employees to run a big outfit. There is no thought given to what happens when people take holidays or get sick.
DeleteSun Media doesn't even leave DunnvilleChronicle.com alive for a bit for the community's sake..... #fail. Sure, local matters! lol
ReplyDeleteThey've immediately redirect the .com site to the newspaper supposedly filling the void which won't be able to fill the void
It's as if 120 years of history never existed in the first place.
DeleteHow appropriate: my browser abbreviates this thread to "Toronto Sun Family: 1971-2012: Christ..."
ReplyDeletethis will be a long, long week for a number of Sun Media newspapers. Metroland will become even stronger at the end of this week.
ReplyDeleteAnother 6 people axed today at the Ottawa Sun; CCN publication (formally Smartshopper and before that Pennysaver) killed at the same time.
ReplyDeleteThe Capital City News ( Ottawa ) is publishing its last edition this week.
ReplyDeleteCapital City News in Ottawa was shut down today.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ottawasun.com/2012/12/03/last-edition-of-capital-city-news
Today The Calgary Sun announced today that pre-press functions would be moved to Central Canada as of mid-January (Ad builders, Layout, etc). Same for Edmonton.
ReplyDeleteWindsor This Week and Leamington Post were both shut down today. Combined with the closure of The Amherstburg Echo (which was shut down in October), it means Sun Media has completely pulled out of Windsor-Essex County.
ReplyDeletehttp://blogs.windsorstar.com/2012/12/05/leamington-post-windsor-this-week-shut-down/
K-W and Guelph closing weekly papers, anywhere else?
ReplyDeleteThe Guelph Review and the K-W Review also bite the dust as both carry a sterile "Notice to Readers" on their respective websites.
ReplyDeleteI can only wonder which weekly is next on the chopping block.
Leamington Post and Windsor This Week closed on Wednesday, Dec. 5. The Amherstburg Echo got punted a few months ago.
ReplyDeleteIt's all very strange because from what former colleagues told me, the bosses we're assuring one and all the culling was complete on Black Tuesday.
Merry Hoh-Hoh (or is it honh!honh! English pig dogs!!``) from PKP
That's very sad and shows the level of commitment Quebecor has to preserving history.
DeleteBoth Amherstburg and Leamington were both 138-years-old. Dunnville had 120 years of history.
Just a shame.
From the "That Didn't Take Long, Did It?" department:
DeleteThe Windsor This Week and Leamington Post websites are already down and folks who try and access those sites are automatically redirected to the Toronto Sun.
The Amherstburg Echo, whose site was taken down a few weeks ago resulting in people being redirected to Windsor This Week, also now has web surfers redirected to Toronto Sun.
Guelph Review site was still active (as of roughly 6:40 p.m. EST Friday evening Dec. 7) and those trying to find the K-W Review online are redirected to the Stratford Beacon Herald.
Dunnville Chronicle's website is no more with people redirected now to the Simcoe Reformer.
West Niagara News is offline with people redirected to the St. Catharines Standard website.
The Capital City News website has also vanished with the Ottawa Sun's website popping up instead.
UPDATE (for those who care): Visitors trying to access the Guelph Review site are also now redirected to the Stratford Beacon Herald.
DeleteWhen they closed our paper in Dunnville the publisher told us in the paper we would get our local news now in the paper in Simcoe. I have been looking at the paper in Simcoe ever since they did this and there is no news from our community in that paper. We are so angry at what they did to us
DeleteMaybe Quebecor didn't bother to look at a map of Ontario when they made that decision. Do they really expected reporters to drive 120-kilometres roundtrip to cover some other town when they're probably hardpressed to cover their own? The St. Catharines Standard is meant to be the regional paper for the Niagara peninsula, why not direct people to read it? St. Catharines is actually closer than Simcoe. Not to mention Welland, which feeds all its copy to the Standard anyway.
DeleteI can concur with previous poster about Edmonton Prepress. It was announced on Tuesday, December, 2012 with over 35 prepress staff being laid off work. Production is being shifted to BArrie, Ontario along with with outsourced 3rd party in INdia (Affinity). I will be looking for work in the new year :(
ReplyDeleteThere were many more cuts in Alberta that aren't posted here. For instance, publisher of Drayton Valley and group publisher of Central Alberta. I wonder what more is coming?
ReplyDeleteDale Johnson, who published Pincher Creek Echo and Crowsnest Promoter in southern Alberta, and the group publisher of the High River Times and several other papers was given those two papers to manage as well. Rumours are swirling of a Black Press buy of some of the dying SunMedia papers in southern Alberta.
ReplyDeleteyes that's not very much for alberta though, maybe they are doing most of the layoffs and paper closures in ontario? seems they closed one paper in ontario with 6 employees and circulation of about 18k, but i know of a couple of papers in alberta with ten employees and less than 3k in circulation, sun media. so has any one heard anything about any papers closing down in ab??
ReplyDeleteNot closing, no, but abandoned essentially, yes. A guess: even though the rural Alberta papers have low circulation, they were likely not closed because arrangements were made to sell them, and these days a closed paper has no value but one still running has some resale value. I suspect you will see a lot of Alberta SunMedia papers change hands in January.
DeleteI'll like to know what the total number of jobs has been cut since 2007, the year that Quebecor bought Osprey Media. They paid $517 million to acquire 54 newspapers from Osprey Media. 20 daily newspapers and 34 non-daily newspapers.
ReplyDeleteI remember they cut 600 jobs in December 2008, then 400 in November 2011, and now 500 last month. It's safe to say that they have cut at least 1,500 jobs in major job cuts, not including a good amount of jobs that were quietly eliminated over the past few years.
At least Sun Media has been able to pick up some major recognition - the Toronto Sun won for top typo of the year as recognized by the Atlantic Wire for spelling "Correction" wrong. LOL
ReplyDeletehttp://www.theatlanticwire.com/entertainment/2012/12/best-typos-mistakes-corrections-2012/59828/
Under the 'mixed messages' file, why is it that in the midst of the apparent massive elimination of publishers, there's been at least one 'publisher' appointment within Quebecor? Maybe more, who knows. Point being, is the company moving away from this system, as it states, or is it not? Just don't get it.
ReplyDeleteUnless I missed it, the Leamington Post and
ReplyDeleteWindsor This Week have not been mentioned. Both papers were killed the week of Dec. 3. The Leamington Post had a history going back 138 years. WTW was the former Pennysaver/Smart Shopper that had been converted into a weekly. I think six jobs were lost in Leamington. Don't know about Windsor.
It is interesting to note that the Amherstburg Echo and the Leamington Post were in competition with independents. The independents were not of the same quality as the Quebecor papers, but at least they had a committed local ownership behind them and now the independents have the markets to themselves.
ReplyDeletedo u think they are just closing down alot of papers that are in the same market with an independent. i mean if revenues are falling,and there are already two newspapers in a town, why keep ? do you think this is the strategy? shutting down papers where there is already another paper competing with them?
ReplyDeleteoh to be an independent newspaper, wouldn't that be a great Christmas gift. We could go back to the days where local community meant everything. Lucky are those that still have a newspaper in their town. We lost ours and it leaves a hole. Thanks PKP for really showing people what community means. I believe that the advertisers and readers are catching up to PKP and his band of silly yes men.
ReplyDeleteno
ReplyDeleteMass exodus in Niagara, people with years of seniority with Sun are running to Metroland.
ReplyDeleteSarnia has a new publisher, was announced on their front page. I thought they didn't need publishers anymore???
ReplyDeleteWho knows what this company is planning?
DeleteI notice by way of each paper's website that the publisher of the Sarnia Observer is the same as the Londoner, Linda Leblanc. If this is correct and if she is actually going to visit the two offices, I'd advise her to be careful as she commutes in winter months on the 402.
Wasn't she in Sarnia before? I seem to recall her transferred to London when Daryl Smith came on board.
who has left niagara to go to metroland
ReplyDeleteCan't call it a mass exodus if it's made up of people who were let go ... the move isn't their choice, after all. Can't confirm, sorry.
ReplyDeletehaven't done the math, but I don't think they have 500 yet, more to come after Christmas?
ReplyDeleteIt has been another fabulous day in the new look world of Quebecor journalism.......... instead of reporting on local news I was told to type in children's Letters to Santa today
ReplyDeleteDear Santa
DeleteCan I have a real newspaper, please? Like the one I used to work for before PKP bought it and gutted it? The black-line on front yesterday was a review of how freakin' terrific and utterly awesome the new Cineplex in town is. Meanwhile, I'm surrounded by the empty desks of my co-workers and the font size on the new internal phone list is about 16 point to try and hide the fact they've laid off more than half the staff in the past three years.
Help me, Santa
Help me, Santa.
You have desks?
Deleteat least you can still have letters to Santa. They won't let him read any letters in our paper. Guess that's the community part of community papers.
ReplyDeleteCan't believe Blacks would buy any of the Alberta rural papers. Why buy when you can just wait for Quebecor to kill them and open up a new one from scratch?
ReplyDeleteMaybe the name has some value if the paper is bought and revived?
DeleteI know some of the older Ontario papers that were closed likely could have been sold simply because the names held so much sentimental value in their respective communities. Instead of trying to make a couple of bucks though, Quebecor just slammed the door and closed up shop on these historical papers.
Think of the people, our friends and now former co-workers that have left the company. They may be the lucky ones? They are outside looking at the turmoil that is left. No holiday spirit, only Scrooge Peladeau humbugging along in his limo, or flying to Europe to tell those that he cares about his staff. I now know that A Christmas Carol was written after a true scrooge. I wondered how such a man can sleep at night, then understand that if you have no conscience sleeping is easy. Merry Christmas to all and will the last one out please turn off the lights?
ReplyDeleteAs Khrushchev said: The Living will envy the dead.
ReplyDeleteThe disenfranchised should be encouraged to take action. The way the Mother Corp. is now operated is akin to a very cynical business model that most pretend is not the norm, though it is ... Pray that those who have struck out on their own will have the graciousness to show us, The Others, how it is done.
ReplyDeleteMore importantly, let us hope that some day soon, in some significant way, Videotron is as relevant as SUN TV.
As someone who just left I can promise you all, there is life after the Sun. Abundant life. The only thing keeping you there is fear of change. I know this because thats what kept me there until I finally could not take it anymore.
ReplyDeleteThe Sun is dead. Flee while you still can.
I feel let down, where is the video from PKP, the Christmas Card from Montreal expounding the glory of Sun Media? Honestly staff laugh every time there is a video or a letter from above. I think it was done but couldn't be sent on Zimbra...too big a file. Hard to get all the insincerity into less than 50mb.
ReplyDeleteA mole at Sun News Network:
ReplyDeletehttp://bigcitylib.blogspot.ca/2012/12/is-sun-news-network-insider-trying-to.html
The poop is really hitting the fan with long-time subscribers cancelling because of the chain's decision to cancel tv listings and revamp the comics page with fewer comics and crosswords. Another brilliant move in what seems like a determined effort to kill newspapers.
ReplyDeleteYet another nail in the coffin. Readers are calling asking who did a survey to tell us "what we like to read" Have had more calls today than in months. Why can't they leave it alone, let us die a peaceful death instead of a death of a thousand cuts...or is that 500 cuts?
ReplyDeleteSarnia Observer, Ad Manager resigned.
ReplyDeleteCan't blame them. I knew long time employees and now the majority of them are on stress leave. It's too much. Always the threat of job losses. Hard conditions to work under. Have a feeling that's why remaining Ad managers, general managers and Managing Editors are dropping like flies. . .
ReplyDeleteSun News Network wants your money: http://bigcitylib.blogspot.ca/2013/01/sun-news-network-begs-for-taxpayer.html
ReplyDeleteAnd Quebecor has changed its insurance carrier for about the third time in five years. Now employee benefits are being administered by Desjardins rather than Standard Life. One can only assume that Standard Life's mistake was not being based in Quebec.
ReplyDeleteWe used to have ManuLife where I worked, the benefits were pretty good. However, once we were switched over to "FlexMedia", which was under Standard Life, we immediately noticed that the benefits were not as great as what we had with ManuLife.
Deletethe new benefit package saves Quebecor money, costs us more, and is less than we used to have. Why does everything they touch beat down the employee? Is Quebecor not affiliated somehow with Desjardins?
ReplyDeletehttp://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2013/01/23/andrew-coyne-sun-tvs-bid-for-cable-shows-its-invincible-sense-of-entitlement-to-public-money/
ReplyDeleteYou can add one reporter at the Orillia Packet & Times to this list.
ReplyDeleteAlso add 41-year photographer in Brantford, who took s severance package to save a red-circled sports reporter's job.
DeleteThe last of the Production Dept. has been axed at the Ottawa Sun, 6 positions in total. 2 management positions and the remaining 4 underlings all gone with the work transferred to the Barrie hub. Time to get a smaller building as it is only about 10% capacity.
ReplyDeleteWow the Barrie hub keeps getting bigger while other papers are shutting their doors. Terrible to hear, but that seems to be the way THIS big business is going. Sucks knowing you have the only bucket on a boat with a hole and you're to tired to fill it with water. . . There are lots of great people still working for this company. I wish them all the best.
ReplyDeleteThe Barrie hub will disappear as the work that is being done there will shift over to India.. it will happen.. don't get too comfortable or take out a big mortgage if you are there..
Delete2 more in Sarnia. One at Sarnia This Week, one at The Observer advertising.
ReplyDeleteJust got the word that Shopping News in Niagara is done as of today.
ReplyDeleteneed to change the heading to 2012-2013 layoffs, maybe another list for closings, seems to be getting to be a sizable list.
ReplyDeletemore closings in ONtario? or alberta? seems most papers or alot seem to be in alberta, but not really affected by anything yet, other than group publishers, and a few layoffs here and there.
ReplyDeleteWell, Sunmedia (Crowsnest Promoter) articles are appearing in Black Press owned Fernie Free Press. Draw your own conclusions. Mine is that there's a bunch of small town papers that have already been dealt away, just not announced yet. Of course, another explanation might be that Sunmedia doesn't mind sharing an editor with a nearby rival that recently announced they were moving into the Crowsnest market. Could happen. Right after Ezra votes liberal.
DeleteI can hardly until Harper makes Ezra a senator.
ReplyDeleteThere's a John Doyle piece on Ezra (not new but still valid) and how TV has revealed him as a buffoon. It's at http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/television/oh-ezra-levant-pride-of-the-west-where-did-it-all-go-wrong/article4426094/.
DeleteOne excerpt:
"This was madness. And at its core was Levant braying on TV, hissing and finger-pointing about the Communist menace like a man who had mislaid his tinfoil hat, the one that stops the aliens from whispering to him."
Guess I should be happy I can't access the silly channel. I'd opt for Sesame Street before I'd ever pay for such a waste of time.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with that. I think everyone should have easy access to the channel. If it's easily accessible then the argument that there is a left-wing media bias by the CRTC, or that SNN isn't given a fair shake in terms of accessibility becomes moot. The network then has to stand or fall on its own merits, as the right is correct to argue.
DeleteReally Wayne, really! Did you say 'easily accessible'? You mean subsidized - by us. If it becomes 'must carry' then it won't stand or fall on it's own merits, it will just stand on 'our dime'. Do we really want 'responsible journalism' like Lily's story outlined here:http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/03/05/hubert-lacroix-cbc-sun-news_n_2812462.html?utm_hp_ref=canada-business. They'll need a separate show just for Levant's retractions and apologies.
DeleteYeah, anonymous, I suppose I mean subsidized, just like all those other channels that are "subsidized." All the national news channels or none.
DeleteJust got the memo - wage freeze (for the second year in a row) for all non-unionized employees.
ReplyDeleteEveryone just started laughing when they read it. We're actually are surprised they didn't ask for a pay cut. The only thing that would cause us to laugh more is that Sun Media really cares what we think.
ReplyDeleteYou kidding me? "Considerable thought?" Wow how stupid do they think we are? How is possible for Sun Media that they use the words sincere and regrets? Anyone see what Warren Buffet is doing in the States? Buying small newspapers, making money. Just our luck that we have a company that doesn't know how to make money only control expenses.
ReplyDeleteWill Warren Buffet please buy US?
ReplyDeleteHe can't own majority ownership of any Canadian newspaper if he does.
Deletecrazier yet it was sent to unionized employees as well who have gotten increases in the last 2 years
ReplyDeleteThe company institutes a wage freeze shortly after it's announced that Ezra Levant is hosting an Alaskan "Freedom Cruise." For which the company no doubt is paying the thousands of dollars in freight for Pompous Boy and the other Sun News Network "celebrities." Hypocrites.
ReplyDeleteI hope both people have a great time
DeleteSo true, who in their right mind would spend thousands of dollars and a week of their vacation time hanging with the likes of Ezra Levant and Brian Lilley? These Sun News Network "celebrities" sure view themselves with a false sense of importance.
DeleteSun Media/Quebecor being taken to task for its journalistic practices re: the CBC and allegations of sexual harassment.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cmg.ca/en/2013/03/06/shining-a-light-on-sun-news-practices/
whatever way you look at it, it's NUTS. It's inhumane what we all go through everyday, and they say they appreciate our effort. Ever try to pay your gas bill with effort? Lets hope that each of the senior management see all of the peoples lives they have thrown in the dirt when they close their eyes each night. Sleep well.
ReplyDeleteYou sound like my replacement.
ReplyDeleteAn overworked managing editor in Welland, Angus Scott, has pulled the shute.
ReplyDeleteQuebecor has created working conditions where the tenure of most MEs will be short. It's sad. Not sure what employee retention manual this company is following these days
ReplyDeleteSimple, the manual is called "The Bottom Line," where if your salary is higher than The Bottom Line, you're fired. Who cares how many years you've been loyal to the company, right? Or how much of your blood, sweat and tears you put in.
Deleteit is not a company that does a talent audit whenever the knives come out that is for sure
DeleteEveryone hold on...more cuts and centralization on the near horizon. Revenue is down (who could see that happen with no one to sell anything). Competitors are waiting at the gate. Advertisers are starting to worry about how stable their business relationship is with this media company.
ReplyDeleteAnd now there is the corporate shuffle at the top, with Peladeau stepping down. BIG trouble ahead. What a mess this company is.
DeleteOK dumb question. But does PKP stepping down mean big trouble ahead?
ReplyDeleteNot so much Peladeau but the shakeup in general and how it is perceived.
DeleteFrom Reuters:
"The change in leadership comes at a time when the company is struggling with a decline in advertising spending and waning interest in print as readers shift online.
"Quebecor shares were down 5 percent at C$43.50 on the Toronto Stock Exchange on Thursday."
I'm thinking it signals the end of Sun News Network.
DeleteOK thanks. Well personally, I think Sun News Network should go. It's like Fox news and the interesting thing is that in the U.S. stations like Fox and CNN are losing viewers who are tuning into networks like Al Jazeera because a lot of the mainstream media has lost its appeal with its talking heads, useless fluff, and lack of in-depth reporting.. So good riddance to Sun News. I tried watching it a couple of times but couldn't stomach it. Btw, I'm in Western Canada and I'm tired of every ounce of sweat being squeezed out of us so we can subsidize Sun News, Ezra Levant, and Quebec. PKP just cared about Quebec - as did his board of director Brian Mulroney who moved jobs from Manitoba to Quebec and ran Canada into the ground. They sit in their ivory towers lining their pockets off our backs.
Deletewhat do you mean? do you think sun media/quebecor would get out of the print business in the near future?
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking some serious edition slashing is coming to newspapers with the focus getting moved to online. Small cities with dailies will lose Mondays at the very least but probably more. Weeklies that publish more than once per week can kiss two or three times a week bye bye soon
ReplyDeleteKilling Monday editions is a given - there are no ads Mondays - it's just a matter of when. PKP ceding his position allows the company to can Sun News Network when they get denied their latest request from the CRTC, with him saving face - "It wasn't my decision."
DeleteLOL...Sun News Network legend Ezra Levant apologizes for his Roma rant.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/sun-news-host-ezra-levant-issues-rare-apology-for-roma-slurs/article9924574/%3bjsessionid=qgyTRHLp4YyJDJFh1zlFdnQ77Lvnp3jpwJl7Zlb87JCkQFQTnqx1!1769969182/?ord=1
I wonder if Ezra apologized because of Sun News Network's request for mandatory carriage? Wouldn't surprise me.
DeleteSun News recants linking Vancouver Observer to Tides Canada; second apology in a week
Deletehttp://j-source.ca/article/sun-news-recants-linking-vancouver-observer-tides-canada-second-apology-week
Sun Media Manitoba daily goes weekly:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.themanitoban.com/2013/03/portage-la-prairie-newspaper-goes-weekly/14911/
That is just like the wise person predicted on this blog a few comments back. Now I'm curious at what else could happen. Dailies lose Monday. Some small dailies go weekly. Sun News canned. What more can they do? How much deeper can they cut? Will they cut deeper?
ReplyDeleteAxing the vanity project that is Sun News Network, which lost $17 million last year, would hopefully stymie the bloodshed. For a vanity project, PKP sure cheaped out: the channel's production values are no better, maybe worse, than locally produced cable networks. It offers virtually nothing in prime time beyond angry white men shouting from their pulpits.
ReplyDeleteAnd the great shame of this vanity project is that the lost $17 million is roughly equivalent to about eight months of salary for each of the 500 eliminated jobs, at a rate of $51,000 per job per annum. Many of the laid-off would still be there if not for SNN.
DeleteI know that if they stop Monday in our market it will have serious impact on the remaining 5 days. I would venture that by summer we would be 3 days a week. Great plan
ReplyDeleteWhen you present the math like that, the vanity project, as you call it, makes my blood boil (besides turning my stomach when I tried tuning in). What a disgusting shame and deplorable waste. Amazing how one man can cause so much damage to an entire industry. Clearly he has no conscience.
ReplyDeleteIt's really rich that in his annoucement about stepping down PKP mentioned he wanted to pursue philanthropic endeavours - this from a man who has caused untold hardship on hundreds by sending them to the unemployment line.
ReplyDeleteWow I have missed a lot since I got a few months off with pay compliments of Sun Media. Nobody tells me anything anymore. Hello? Is anyone still there?
ReplyDeleteGraphic has weathered many storms 2
ReplyDeletehttp://www.portagedailygraphic.com/2013/03/21/graphic-has-weathered-many-storms
News of the paper becoming a weekly in print is mentioned in the last paragraph:
"Starting next week, the Portage Daily Graphic will continue to be a daily newspaper at portagedailygraphic.com. Its print edition, which will come out on Tuesdays, will be named The Graphic, while the Central Plains Herald-Leader will become the Herald-Leader and publish on Thursdays. The editorial staff will continue to work diligently to report the breaking news in Portage la Prairie and the Central Plains and feed it to the website www.portagedailygraphic.com"
nothing to tell, closed papers, less staff, no raises for the ones left. You missed lots of the same ol same ol.
ReplyDeleteBelleville is losing their mailroom on Saturday March 30, 2013. One full time position, six part time positions and one supervisor laid off. The work is being outsourced. I also heard of at least one layoff in Woodstock on Monday.
ReplyDeleteAny idea who is taking the project over?
DeleteWhat's next... let's see, here's a winning idea, lets have the readers pick up their overpriced, understaffed newspaper at the office that is closed. Doubt they will get that bad but if they can outsource the mailroom, they sure can outsource the carriers delivering the papers and flyers. That will be next. After that readers will have to take the pictures and write the stories and they will upload them to a site in India for pagination then sent to another country to upload to the internet so everyone can read it for free. great way to make money, no wonder we're in the toilet.
ReplyDeleteOk so now there are people asking for buy outs, guess they are not waiting for the door to close behind them.
ReplyDeleteEvery company has people who can't stand their jobs or their employer. What is so awful about life in our company now is that I would say the overwhelming majority of workers can't stand the company........ and that is the word coming from fellow managers. Everyone is down. Maybe the next thing the company will do is hire Tony Robbins. Oh wait, that would require investing in people. Sorry. Me bad
ReplyDeleteTony Robbins sadly couldn't even help. I agree lots hate the JOB, we are overwhelmed by hating the company. I think most really try to do a great job, but what motivation other than self worth do you get? Maybe it's the bonus at Christmas? Nope, the pay raise in January? Nope, the water cooler...hahaha nope. Anything that can motivate has been taken away. So I say again Tony couldn't help, what a shame.
ReplyDeleteWell don't think the same thing hasn't started in Metroland. . . Centres of Excellence and ads being built in India. It's the standard for our industry now and what a damn shame it is that there's so many talented people out there who just hate the companies they work for.
ReplyDeleteEver hear of SM bringing back an ME it lost to competition? Peter Conradi, publisher of Bullet News Niagara and former ME of the Niagara Falls Review, picks up the reins as ME of the Welland Tribune April 22. Good luck, Peter.
ReplyDeleteThought Peter was smarter than that!
ReplyDeletesadly when you get to the bottom of the barrel...you find Sun Media
ReplyDeleteMust be pretty bad at Bullet News.
ReplyDeletePeter Conradi was not 'lost to the competition.'
ReplyDeleteHe willingly left to follow the fired publisher of the Review over to Bullet News. A Review reporter followed him over later.
Things must be bad at Bullet for him to jump ship again
There is another round of layoffs coming sooner than you can think. So happy I took the lump sum payment. I don't think there will be money left after this next round of layoffs.
ReplyDeleteWith all due respect, if you're not there, how would you know? Do you have inside information because fear mongering doesn't accomplish much, other than making good people feel frightened.
Delete