ComPost

So there it was, around 9:15 or so, an email from a usually reliable source who had heard that the National Post would be shut down today.

Apparently, ''a prominent CBC journalist'' in Ottawa had spotted workers picking up Post boxes from the streets and put two-and-two together. The dots were further connected by the fact that tomorrow is when parent company CanWest Global has re-re-re-rescheduled (I've lost count of the re's) its day with Bay Street.

Ergo, the rumour mill had it, the Post would be closed today, and tomorrow Leonard and David Asper could announce that CWG shares, which have been in the toilet, should rise, thanks to the shutdown.

So I called it in to a senior Star editor and got to work.

Luckily I was able to track down Post chair David Asper very quickly and he was, as always, refreshingly candid -- a characteristic in short supply in the media business. There's no beating around the bush with him. I can't quote everything he said in dismissing the rumour, but I can use the word ''ridiculous." As for the other words, well, ''complete and total'' were in there too. So was something about the male of the bovine species and ... well you get the picture.

Then he added that these persistent notices of the paper's impending demise were tough on staffers. True enough. It's very demoralizing working with an axe over your head.

In short: No. Definitely not. Cross his heart and hope to die. Or something like that.

Now the rumour is that Asper is househunting in Toronto -- which, if true, should put Post-al workers minds' to rest.

Comments

[Bill-Muskoka]

Antonia,

The G&M drastically changed their website as well. I can't find the best thing they present daily...The Editorial Cartoon! LOL

They also are getting seriously AR about logins...too much so.

Well, the final count in Parry Sound Muskoka District was Clement by 28 votes. I see he is being named as the new Minister of Health!

Gee, I bet the recount had that little gimmee on hold, eh?

And off we go!

[Neale Gifford]

Had a username-password for the G&M Insider Edition. But forgot it. So, when I tried to access the "retrieve username-password" page, an unmoveable ad covered the section where I would type the information. CIBC, the $50,000 Giveaway, and others.
I couldn't give them the information! I usually read all the papers in the morning to get different slants on stories, but the G&M apparently doesn't wany anyone to read their stuff so I've removed that bookmark. To hell with them.

[takefive]

Antonia, before you salivate too much over the Post's problems you might comment on this piece from Frank: "Over at the Toronto Death Star the December numbers are in and they are not good. Revenues are in free fall, advertising is off the cliff and the board of directors is rapidly running out of patience for editor Giles Gherson and publisher Michael Goldbloom.Circulation is also in decline despite being propped up by bulk sales."

[Antonia Z.]

1. I am not salivating over the death of a newspaper. I would never salivate over the death of a newspaper. I believe in a diversity of voices. I pay for the Post out of my own pocket and always have. You?

2. I am just doing my job. In case you didn't notice Take Five, I was DISMISSING the rumour. So how about reading my post again? How about looking at the headline????

3. There are no rumours that the Star is dying. We are huge.

4. Does Frank have numbers on the Star's financials? Do you? If so, I would love to have them. Until I get them, I won't be commenting on this little bit of unsubstantiated gossip.

[tod maffin]

Heheheheh. I, for one, took a moment to "get" the headline.

Brilliant.

I've been hearing about the Post's death for years.

And I rather link the Globe's redesign. Waaaaaaaaaay better than the old way.

http://www.torstar.com/images/torstar/pdf/2005_q3_report2.pdf

First quarter of '06 won't be available for a few more days.

Frank is a news source? Who knew?

[Allen]

You have to admit todays Post was mighty thin, though I do enjoy following the MBA Portfolio Management Competition. Someone had a good idea.

Allen

[Antonia Z.]

To Anonymous at 7:17:

Er, are you the publisher, sir? If so, thanks!
And does this mean we get our profit-sharing bonuses??

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS – Third quarter and year to date 2005
Overall Performance
Newspaper revenues were $242.4 million in the third quarter of 2005,
up $11.7 million or 5% from $230.7 million in the third quarter of 2004.
Book publishing revenues were $138.3 million in the third quarter, up
$2.5 million from the same period last year as $9.1 million of underlying
revenue growth was partially offset by the impact of foreign exchange rates.
Total revenues were $380.6 million in the quarter up $14.1 million from
$366.5 million in 2004.
Year to date Newspaper revenues were $746.9 million up $28.6 million,
or 4% from $718.3 million in the same period in 2004.

[Dana]

Sorry, Antonia, that was me putting the pdf link to Torstar quarterlies. Forgot to provide my name.

Tod Maffin, what is it you like better? The overlapping floating ads, the inoperability with Safari or Firefox? The eye straining washing water grey font on the dirty linen background? The sluggish loadtimes?

What?

[Elvid]

The whole National Post closure saga should be really called
"Media Critics Held Hostage...Day2293". Been hearing about it since day one. Still there for whatever that's worth..

[takefive]

Antonia, I apologize if I have offended you. Your headline "ComPost" might be taken to be your opinion of the National Post. By raising a story based on little more than some CBC types watching paper boxes being moved (are they really that underemployed) you give new life to an old unsubstantiated rumour. The Post's owners are then called upon to refute it yet one more time. The Frank piece is of course unsubstantiated itself, but then you felt the need to refute it.

[Randy]

I say, let it go. The Post will never gain the reliability of The Toronto Star, the cachet of The Globe, or the irreverence of The Toronto Sun.

Besides, whatever Post hangers-on are left will invariably find themselves working for Maclone's.

[Antonia Z.]

BDG?

Why not say that to my face? With your name attached?