The Monday news briefing: An at-a-glance survey of some top stories
Highlights from the news file for Monday, Nov. 27
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POSTMEDIA AND TORSTAR CLOSING PAPERS: The federal government is coming under fresh pressure to find solutions for Canada’s ailing newspaper industry amid word that dozens of community and daily newspapers across the country will soon close their doors. Torstar Corp. and Postmedia Network Inc. announced Monday they will cut nearly 300 jobs when they shutter more than 30 newspapers, most of them in Ontario. Postmedia announced it will cut 244 jobs as it plans to shutter 21 of the 22 community newspaper properties it is acquiring from Torstar as well as the Metro Winnipeg and Metro Ottawa free dailies. Torstar’s Metroland Media Group Ltd., meanwhile, said it will close three of the seven daily newspapers in Ontario it’s buying from Postmedia as well as all eight community newspapers it’s purchased, resulting in the loss of 46 jobs. Torstar said one job will disappear as it buys and closes the free dailies 24Hours Toronto and 24Hours Vancouver. Canadian union leader Jerry Dias called the closures “devastating” and urged federal Heritage Minister Melanie Joly to take action to protect print journalism. Joly unveiled a cultural strategy in September that was criticized by industry experts for lacking expected measures that could have given a boost to Canada’s struggling newspapers.
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