Sun Media is closing three daily and eight weekly newspapers.
In all, the news conglomerate’s restructuring will lead to 360 staff losing their jobs in newsrooms across the country.
The publications being shut down include 24 Hours in Edmonton, Calgary and Ottawa, and eight weekly papers in smaller communities in Quebec, Ontario and Manitoba. Sun Media will continue to operate its only paper in Vancouver, 24 Hours.
The company has said it wants to focus on one publication in each major market across Canada. Montreal and Toronto will keep their 24 Hours publications in addition to their daily papers because of those cities' large public transit systems.
The decision to close the 11 newsrooms will save the company about $55 million a year.
Here were some of the reactions on social media:
Probably goes without saying, but tomorrow is our quarterly "Hug A Sun Media Employee Day".
— Steve Ladurantaye (@sladurantaye) July 16, 2013
Barf. Sun Media's decision to slash 24 Hours in a bunch of cities will result in 360 job losses.
— Rachel Mendleson (@rachelmendleson) July 16, 2013
Things keep getting worse and worse at #SunMedia. It's sad to watch my former employer crumble to pieces: http://t.co/G95rjcgdhG #journalism
— Greg Hoekstra (@greghoekstra) July 16, 2013
Some independent publications didn't feel the need to express their condolences:
From the editor-in-chief of atomictoasters.com:
Good riddance. The less #SunMedia the better. RT @elenalanglois Closure announced of free urban dailies "24 Hours" newspaper in #Edmonton.
— Deartháir (@dearthair) July 16, 2013
Maryse Zeidler is completing a practicum at The Tyee.
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