2015.03.25
Union ‘troubled’ by near monopoly
as Postmedia cleared to buy Sun Media papers
CWA Canada, the country's only all-media union, remains "hopeful but troubled" in the wake of today's decision by the Competition Bureau approving the Postmedia deal to buy Sun Media's English-language newspapers.
"We hope this means Postmedia will put more money into quality journalism, especially at Sun Media where journalism has been on life support under Quebecor," CWA Canada President Martin O'Hanlon said.
"But we're troubled by the concentration of ownership, with Postmedia now holding a near monopoly on English-language newspapers across most of Canada.
"It's hard to see how such control by one corporation can be good for the public, journalism or democracy."
O'Hanlon said CWA Canada will closely watch how things unfold and will stand up for quality jobs and quality journalism.
CWA Canada, which represents more than 6,000 workers at media companies coast-to-coast, has members at Postmedia dailies including The Ottawa Citizen, The Windsor Star, the Montreal Gazette and the Regina Leader-Post, as well as at these Sun Media titles that are part of the deal: Kingston Whig-Standard, Northumberland Today, Peterborough Examiner, St. Catharines Standard, Barrie Examiner, North Bay Nugget, Sault Star, Sudbury Star, and the Brantford Expositor.
For interviews or more information, contact Martin O'Hanlon (email / 613-820-8460).