10.06.2014 09:31 AM

Media talking about media

I hate doing that, as you folks well know. Nothing more boring than the media gazing fixedly at its own navel.

However, this morning’s developments are actually rather, you know, newsworthy:

Quebecor has agreed to sell all 175 English-language newspapers it owns under the Sun Media banner to Postmedia, the owner of the National Post and others, for $316 million.

The properties include The Toronto Sun, The Ottawa Sun, The Winnipeg Sun, The Calgary Sun and The Edmonton Sun, as well as The London Free Press and the free 24 Hours dailies in Toronto and Vancouver.

Post-bureau review – a process that could take a long time, admittedly – will Yours Truly still be found in your morning paper, smiling up at you on Tuesdays and Fridays?

Beats me. Who knows. In the meantime, onward and upward.

16 Comments

  1. Lance says:

    I have to admit that when you first signed on with SNN I had my doubts and expected you to be MUCH more partisan, nothing more than a token. But during your time with SNN, you’ve been as balanced and fair as should be expected with the type of job you have (at times, MORE than fair), and humbly, I have to say I was wrong, and that I am glad I was wrong. Reading your columns and watching your segments I learned a lot, which made me curious enough to want to actually see your site.

    I doubt that you are going anywhere. I hope not anyway.

  2. Matt says:

    President of Postmedia Paul Godfrey is and old Sun guy from way back. I doubt much will change with the Sun.

    Unless you burned some bridges with some of the Postmedia higher ups in the past. 😉

    Interesting Sun News Network isn’t included in the deal. Either Quebecor didn’t want to give it up, or Postmedia didn’t want it.

  3. Justin says:

    What’s happening with the Sun News Network? I heard it wasn’t apart of the deal.

  4. Terry Quinn says:

    Could we assume here that Quebecor will shut down their English TV network since it does not make money and has been denied special privileges from the cable companies and the CRTC?

    • doconnor says:

      Sun TV doesn’t exist to make money itself, but pays for itself by promoting right-wing ideology to lower taxes and costs for its wealthy owners.

      Nevertheless, without the Sun newspapers reporters generating content, its costs may be unsustainable, combined with the fact it hasn’t been very effective in achieving its goals compared to the National Post, may mean it will be sold off, maybe to TorStar.

      Will the Sun rejoin the Ontario Press Council?

  5. MississaugaPeter says:

    WoW!

    How things have changed. In the old days, just three decades ago, this would never have been permitted because of Competition/Consumer Protection rules.

    Likely result: One daily in Calgary and Edmonton.

    WoW!

    • Warren says:

      Keep your shirt on. Has to go through Competition Bureau.

      I can see Mulcair (for sure) and Trudeau (possibly) going after it, a la Keith Davey circa 1980.

      • MississaugaPeter says:

        That’s a relief. Shirtless Peter is no longer a pretty sight.

        I hope you are right that this does not get bamboozled through. Unfortunately, I am not optimistic that it will not in some way come to fruition.

      • Peter says:

        Except there is a high-profile brouhaha going on within the PQ right now because Peladeau won’t commit to selling his media interests if he beomes Leader. Swirling waters for Mulcair and Trudeau to jump into.

  6. Ronald O'Dowd says:

    Warren,

    Well, knock me over with a feather. I had absolutely no idea that Captain Smith had left the cruise business!

  7. Matt says:

    Heard an interesting bit of info on the radio that brings home the state of print media in the last decade and a half.

    Quebecor bought Sun Media in 1998 for over $900 million.

    Quebecor sold Sun Media today for $316 million.

  8. WestintheEast says:

    $316m?? Really? Jesus.

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