Quebecor's News Investment Gears For Integration

Quebecor has just announced a major investment in to its Ontario-based media properties in Canada, based on the convergence of the Toronto Sun, Canoe.ca, 24 hours, and Sun TV (formerly Toronto 1).

Quebecor has just announced a major investment in to its Ontario-based media properties in Canada, based on the convergence of the Toronto Sun, Canoe.ca, 24 hours, and Sun TV (formerly Toronto 1) in to a cross-platform format, claimed to be the first of its kind in Canada.

The consolidation of Quebecor's Ontario printing facilities in to a new facility in Islington, Ontario, is also part of the investment programme, along with the formation of an advisory board to oversee Quebecor's Ontario media interests.

"We are committed to providing funding, resources and our considerable expertise to build our Ontario media properties in to a strong convergent voice," said Pierre Karl Peladeau, the president and chief executive officer of Quebecor.

He continued: "We want to take the little paper that grew, the legendary Toronto Sun and help it grow and prosper with the multitude of convergence opportunities afforded us in Sun TV, Canoe.ca and 24 Hours.

Our intent is to take the Toronto Sun back to its community roots with the benefit of a revitalised multimedia platform.

Our objective is to provide our audiences with a unique media environment that they will find stimulating on many different levels." Douglas Bassett, the newly-appointed chairman of the Quebecor-Ontario Media Advisory Board, commented: "Pierre Karl's vision for media, meeting at the crossroads, is something I am very excited to be a part of and contribute my experience to.

I believe the potential of these properties is enormous and that with the commitment of Quebecor the promise will be fully realised." Other advisory board members and a new publisher of the Toronto Sun will be announced shortly.

Quebecor said that the convergence of the Toronto Sun, Sun TV, 24 hours and Canoe.ca in to a cross-pollination of news, entertainment, sports and community will be an exciting meeting of styles and formats.

Based on Quebecor's convergence model, the Ontario format is incorporating a mix of news and community interests, creating a larger content pool with increased opportunities, said the company.

The company's plans call for Sun TV to join its colleagues at the King Street local in the near future.

The result will be a convergence format that provides a strong sense of community on-air, online and in the newspaper believes Quebecor.

Quebecor also believes that convergence in the Ontario market will create a sustainable competitive edge in the country's most competitive media market, a higher quality of content, an increase in advertising sales, a more effective marketing of services and increased power for events and promotions.

The strategy is to position the Quebecor's media properties as the centre of multimedia convergence whilst simultaneously raising the awareness, relevance, necessity and immediacy of Sun TV, Toronto Sun, 24 hours and Canoe.ca, added the company.

On a journalistic note, Quebecor added that a significant aspect of the plan calls for the revitalisation of Sun Media and the flagship Toronto Sun newspaper, back to its roots as community focused newspaper.

To fulfil that goal there will be a series of announcements about a number of media personalities, who will be joining the Sun to ensure its role as a vital voice of the city and the province.

The third component in the plan will see Quebecor consolidate newspaper printing facilities in to one, new facility that will be located in Islington, Ontario.

The new printing presses, manufactured by MAN Roland will be equipped with an automated definition and colour density system, a colour printing process that guarantees uniformly brilliant print quality on every copy, claimed Quebecor.

With the new equipment, the Toronto Sun, the London Free Press and 24 Hours will have the capacity to produce a full-colour daily newspaper that will be able to use an unlimited selection of colours for editorial content and advertising to deliver a more attractive and readable product.

The new presses will also produce other Quebecor print contracts including directories for Yellow Book.

Yellow Book is one of the largest directory publishers in the USA and recently signed a long-term $900 million contract with Quebecor World to print all of its directories.

The new print facility will be operated by a new entity co-owned by Quebecor Media and Quebecor World, serving both their customers.

Utilising the new printing technology will provide a better product to readers and advertisers and is a much more efficient process, believes Quebecor.

The new plant is faster, more automated and supports a range of insert options, including special sections, advertising supplements and geographically targeted advertisements.

The consolidation of the newspaper printing operations will result in the reduction of 320 employee jobs, though that will be offset by the creation of 200 positions at the new facility, added the company.

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