Another closure

The ever-shrinking Sun Media properties will soon be thinner when the Welland Tribune's office in Port Colborne closes, says a TSF tipster.

"The Post Colborne office has existed for over 80 years," says the tipster.

The Tribune, one of the Osprey papers purchased in the summer of 2007, lost eight employees on Black Tuesday in December.

To add insult to injury, the tipster says

"First, Sun Media eliminated water coolers to save money, now papers like the Welland Tribune have cancelled the front floor mats. These keep the dust down in summer and deal with snow- covered boots in winter."

Okay now, that's water coolers, door mats, funeral flowers, counselling services, awards expenses and sponsorships, sabbaticals, Christmas bonuses, the Canadian Press (as of next year), Monday editions at some dailies, weeklies padlocked, freedom of choice in newsrooms, etc., etc.

Oh, and a thousand or so employees.

But we digress. There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin's done.

And we know PKP's dealin' is far from done.

"Stupid" heading

Toronto Sun editors preoccupied with today's ad-dominated false front page neglected to catch a glaring error in the Exclusive: 'Our son is stupid, not a racist' heading.

Read Brett Clarkson's story. What the mother of the boy involved in the Keswick school incident said was "He said something stupid. Really stupid." She didn't say her son was stupid.

A TSF tipster says the Sun will be publishing the following apology tomorrow:

"A headline on page one of the Toronto Sun yesterday was both inaccurate and misleading. In fact, as the story reported, the mother of a boy in involved in a high school fight in Keswick said her son “said something stupid.” She did not say nor imply he was stupid. The Sun regrets the error and apologizes to the boy and his family."

TSF empathizes with overworked editors. It can't be easy working in a stressful, sweatshop environment with little time for quality control.

Numerous recent Sun corrections, including faulty ads and sloppy graphics, reflect the aftermath of years of staff cuts that have left survivors with additional workloads not befitting any newsroom staffer.

It is minimalist print journalism at its worst.

Another memo

The latest Sun Media memo forwarded to TSF takes us back to the decades when Doug Creighton, Peter Worthington et al took care of their own in times of need.

Alcoholics kept their jobs and were counselled by staff who had walked in their shoes.

Employees experiencing stress-related illnesses were referred to the best professionals and, if necessary, given leaves of absence to deal with their problems.

The same consideration was given to employees with mental illnesses.

The bereaved were personally consoled, sent funeral flowers and given time to grieve.

Now, thanks to another TSF tipster, the reality of Sun Media in 2009:

"Memos went up from Sun Media head office this week announcing that the employee assistance programs - confidential counselling for employees suffering stress, depression, alcohol or drug problems or other issues, provided by professional counsellors - has been unilaterally cancelled by the company, effective immediately.

"The memo says there are numerous government and public sources for people who need assistance so it's not a program that is required, and helpfully includes a list of 1-800 numbers for things such as Telehealth and the problem gambling hotline."

Three words to describe the new Sun Media: Lean, mean and heartless.

Sun fronts WTF

Updated
Speaking of freedoms in Sun Media newsrooms, we wonder how editors at the Toronto, Calgary and Edmonton Suns feel about today's incredulous front page sellout to an advertiser. We are speechless. Kudos to the Ottawa Sun and Winnipeg Sun for opting out of full false fronts with the RBC ad.

Sun Media dabbled with half-page slipover ad fronts last year. They were pulled after wide-scale negative reaction. Now this. The iconic Sun fronts should not be dominated by ads. It is grade school thinking.

Sun freedoms

There was a time when all decisions at the flagship Toronto Sun were made within the walls of 333, from the daily cafeteria menu in Red's on the first floor to expansion plans on the 6th.

Memos being forwarded to TSF, originating in the offices of external personnel on high, tell a different story for 333 and all Sun Media newspapers. The memos dictate content and layout in a dictatorial tone not befitting any newsroom professional.

Quebecor's cut and paste newspapering has taken much of the decision making out of the hands of publishers and editors and it shows.

You have to wonder how long the vets will tolerate the meddling. Fact is, a lot of them have decided not to put up with PKP's demeaning and demoralizing ways and have left the building.

We empathize with the remaining vets tired of all the meddling memos and all of the other bullshit but are not in a position financially to flip PKP the finger and walk out the door.

Those who have done just that in recent years say the days are sunnier out from under the debris.

Steve Tilley Twits

Steve Tilley is a man of a thousand Twitters.

That's his goal: 1,000 Twitters by May 12.

Like the tireless Sun Media gadgetry master needs another assignment to keep him in front of a computer screen.

You can follow his daily Twitters at http://twitter.com/stevetilley

Tilley promises a mix of pearls and gibberish Twittering in his quest for 1,000 postings.

We've found a few gems already and he's not at the 100 mark as we type.

This Sun Media tech writer - we look forward to his Monday page devoted to all things Internet - is obviously living the dream.

ONA blurbs

Updated 05/05/09 to include all winners
Ontario Newspaper Awards blurbs from 13 Sun Media newspapers following the weekend presentations in Kitchener-Waterloo.

The complete list of winners:

Sun Media newspapers (a very impressive showing by employees of a conglomerate that is discouraging participation in media awards and refusing to cover expenses for nominees to attend awards presentations):

Tara Hagan, Sarnia Observer: Larry Smith Award for novice reporting (under 25,000 circulation)

Mark Wanzel, Barrie Examiner: Jack Bowman Award for spot news photography (under 25,000 circulation)

J.T. McVeigh, Barrie Examiner: London Free Press Award for sports photography (under 25,000 circulation)

Lara Bradley, Sudbury Star: Murray Thomson Award for environmental reporting

Denis St. Pierre, Sudbury Star: Municipal affairs reporting (under 25,000 circulation)

Jonathan Sher, London Free Press: Rogers Communications Award for municipal affairs reporting (over 25,000 circulation)

Jane Sims and Jennifer O'Brien, London Free Press: London Free Press Award for news feature writing

London Free Press: Award for online multimedia special project

Peter Conradi, Niagara Falls Review: Toronto Star Award for design and graphics (under 25,000 circulation)

Denis St. Pierre, Sudbury Star: Winnifred Stokes Hill award for opinion and analysis (under 25,000 circulation)

Tony Caldwell, Ottawa Sun: Rogers Communications Award for sports photography

Errol McGihon, Ottawa Sun: Ford Award for spot news photography

Sarnia Observer: Ross Weichel Award for special projects (under 25,000 circulation)

Bill Henry, Owen Sound Sun Times: Award for online photography

Willy Waterton, Owen Sound Sun Times: London Free Press Award for feature photography (under 25,000 circulation)

Mike Whitehouse, Sudbury Star: Wayne MacDonald Award for narrative writing

Barrie Examiner: John E. Motz Award for layout and design (under 25,000 circulation)

Mike Whitehouse, Sudbury Star: Toronto Star Award for editorial writing(under 25,000 circulation)

Claude Scilley, Kingston Whig-Standard: K.J. Strachan Award for editorial writing

John Robbins, Niagara Falls Review: Award for beat reporting (under 25,000 circulation)

Dan McCaffery and Jack Poirier, Sarnia Observer: Norma Bidwell Award for family/lifestyle writing (under 25,000 circulation)

Maria Canton and Denis Langlois, Owen Sound Sun Times: Canadian Press Award for spot news writing (under 25,000 circulation)

Tom Mills, Sault Star: Sandy Baird Award for humour writing

Julie Jocsak, St. Catharines Standard: Ford Award for feature photography

Cheryl Clock, St. Catharines Standard: Tony Fredo Memorial Award for family/lifestyle writing

Other newspapers:

Martha Blackburn Award for journalist of the year: Steve Buist, Hamilton Spectator

Richard Sutton Award for photojournalist of the year: Jason Kryk, Windsor Star

Hamilton Spectator Rob Austin Memorial Award for student journalist of the year: April Robinson, University of Western Ontario

C.B. Schmidt Award for novice reporting: Emma Reilly, Hamilton Spectator

Business writing: Doug Schmidt, Windsor Star

Hamilton Spectator Award for portrait photography: Gary Yokoyama, Hamilton Spectator

James Bruce Award for arts and entertainment writing: Rob O'Flanagan, Guelph Mercury

Edward J. Hayes Award for beat reporting (over 25,000 circulation): Steve Buist, Hamilton Spectator

Robert Hanley Award for sports writing (under 25,000 circulation): Rob O'Flanagan, Guelph Mercury

Joan May Award for column writing: Gord Henderson, Windsor Star

Gene Florcyk Award for sports writing: Bob Duff, Windsor Star

Bill McGrath Award for design and graphics: Tania Praeg and Andrew Bruce, Waterloo Region Record

Award for online video production: Mathew McCarthy, Waterloo Region Record

Carl Morgan award for special projects: Hamilton Spectator

Del Bell Award for feature writing: Steve Buist, Hamilton Spectator

Walter Blackburn Award for opinion and analysis: Steve Buist, Hamilton Spectator

Canadian Press Award for spot news writing: News team, Hamilton Spectator

Press Institute of Canada Award for enterprise reporting: Tamsin McMahon, Melinda Dalton, Waterloo Region Record

John E. Motz Award for layout and design (over 25,000 circulation): Waterloo Region Record

Congrats to all.

Editor boobs

Sunday Sun readers who faithfully scan the pages from front to back might be wondering about a pair of manboob references yesterday and how differently they were handled.

In Mike Strobel's Page 2 column, it's "Bitch Tits," a reference to A-Rod's nickname mentioned in a new book.

Flip to Showbiz, Page 47, and Liz Braun's Cheap Smarm & Gossip column and the reference to the New York Yankee's pectorals is "B.... T..."

Liz, who generally tells it as it is, might have typed "B.... T..." to avoid conflict, but we doubt it.

Our guess is the entertainment editor handling her copy changed it from "Bitch Tits" to "B.... T..." to abide by the Sun Media language guidelines introduced last year.

Meanwhile, a more liberal news editor in tune with Mike's more adult column style let "Bitch Tits" slide.

With all of the obscene carnage in the world, this Sun Media hangup with words is tiresome.

As the late, great Paul Rimstead might have said: It's a tabloid, dammit.

It's also 2009.

New Donato show

A TSF home isn't complete without a Donato painting, print or cartoon on a wall.

Over the years, Toronto Sun employees have lined up at Andy Donato/Dianne Jackson art exhibits to view and buy the latest works of the talented longtime couple.

Andy's next solo exhibit opens Friday, May 15, at the Old Masters Gallery at 112 Scollard Street in Toronto, and runs through May 30.

As always, opening night is a reception night, 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Those red "sold" stickers tend to be plentiful before the doors close.

Andy, an editorial cartoonist for 41 years, has been taking working vacations for decades, travelling the world, setting up an easel and painting his favourite scenery along the way.

Talk to TSF vets and they will tell you stories about how their Donato paintings, prints and cartoons ended up on their walls. And they will no doubt tell you how much enjoyment they have generated over the years.

TSF works on our walls include a Donato cartoon, a painting and a print, three Jackson paintings, a couple of Michael Peake rapids-in-the-wilds photos and an Ian Harvey sunset photo.

We're looking forward to viewing Andy's latest paintings.

If you don't know Scollard, it is one street north of Yorkville off Bay St.

Flashback '86

It's 1986 and the Toronto Sun is offering a new car in its Blue Jays 10th anniversary contest.

So who is the fast-talking contest promoter? Provide TSF with a name and we'll pay for your National Post papers Mondays during July and August. Money is no object at TSF.