Friday 30 March 2007

It's a new game plan

The reason for the exodus of several key people from the Calgary Sun is crystal clear following this CCNMatthews press release:

Sun Media Expands Executive Role in Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta - (CCNMatthews - March 30, 2007) - Sun Media Corporation announced the appointment today of Gordon Norrie to the new executive role of Senior Group Publisher responsible for all the company's daily newspaper publishing operations in Edmonton and Calgary.

Craig Martin, executive vice-president, Western and Central Operations, Sun Media Corporation, said the new senior executive role will enhance the impact of best practices and expertise from the two major urban markets and community newspapers.

"Gord Norrie's in-depth knowledge of the Alberta business scene and its distinctive requirements will be an even stronger asset in this new role to improve our service to advertisers and business partners" said Mr. Martin.

Mr. Norrie will be publisher and chief executive officer of the Edmonton Sun, the Calgary Sun and the 24 hours dailies in both cities.

"With strong and experienced teams in both the Edmonton and Calgary operations, we intend to create efficiencies and opportunities that will generate greater benefits for our employees, shareholders and customers," said Mr. Norrie.

Mr. Norrie joined the Sun organization in 1985 and has served in positions including publisher, advertising director and general manager, in both Edmonton and Calgary. He and his wife have three children."

The announcement smacks of the next stage of the eventual merging of Sun and 24 Hours newspapers into free Sun/24 commuter tabloids.

The Calgary and Edmonton Suns now have a centralized publisher to go with the centralized editorial, entertainment, lifestyle pages.

Will Ontario follow, with a "Group Publisher" for the Toronto and Ottawa Suns, London Free Press and the 24s? Nothing appears to be beyond the realm in PKP's arena.

Quebecor's game plan is obviously geared to weeding out all of the people who devoted decades of their lives to buidling the tabloids from sod turnings on up.

No comments:

Post a Comment