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Sun Media Shutters 11 Newspapers

The following publications have already ceased or will soon cease publication: L’Action Régionale in Montérégie (Québec), The Lindsay Daily Post (Ontario), The Midland Free Press (Ontario), The Meadow Lake Progress (Saskatchewan), The Lac du Bonnet Leader (Manitoba), The Beausejour Review (Manitoba), Le Magazine Saint-Lambert (Québec) et Le Progrès de Bellechasse (Québec). The three free dailies are the 24 Hours publications in Ottawa, Calgary, and Edmonton.

“In recent years, the print media industry has been going through an unprecedented transformation such as it has never seen before,” said Julie Tremblay, Chief Operating Officer, Sun Media Corporation. “The management decisions we are making are difficult and highly regrettable, particularly the job cuts. However, the downsizing is necessary to maintain a strong positioning for our news media outlets on all platforms, and more broadly to secure our Corporation’s future success in an industry that is being revolutionized by the advent of digital. To the employees who are leaving us, we extend our heartfelt thanks for their contribution and we wish them every success in the future.

“Digital is more than a strong trend,” Tremblay continues. “Today, young people are getting their information almost exclusively from digital sources such as computers, smartphones and tablets. We are working to meet the needs of all our readers and advertisers in this new environment. We are therefore making investments and expanding our high-potential newspapers and publications across all platforms, print and digital.”

In November of 2012, Sun Media cut 500 employees and closed two printing operations in Kingston and Ottawa. In November 2011, 400 jobs were axed as some production was outsourced to India. The company still holds 36 paid-circulation daily newspapers and 3 free dailies producing a weekly circulation of 15.1 million copies. It also owns close to 200 community newspapers nationwide.