* author's note: since this
was written Sun Media has been purchased by Quebecor. Torstar picked up a few small
papers in the final wash. The good guys won.
Alright. Mitchbert is angry. Not the usual volume-increased
indignation with the silliness of the world you loyal readers have enjoyed in the week
since this web site's been up, but down right cussin', red-faced, slam my beer down on the
bar angry. Angry enough to do what I haven't done since the Monday after the
Tianammen Square massacre. That's right, angry enough to build a placard, get out my
marching boots and shout at the top of my lungs. Arghhhhhhhh!
Yesterday afternoon the board of directors at Torstar, the corporate monolith that runs
the Toronto Star, announced a hostile takeover bid for Sun Media, the company that owns
the Sun group of newspapers and Canoe. The offer is monetarily attractive but moraly
bankrupt. This is the journalistic equivalent of the New Democratic Party of Canada
buying Frank Magazine.
The Toronto Star, in its editorials and columns, has long
enjoyed a good sneer at the Sun's expense. They dismissed it as dead in the water
when it was created out of the ashes of the Telegram. They spout self-righteous
indignation at page 3. They dismiss it as a newspaper for the illiterate. They
smugly suggest that its right-of-centre leaning is part of the mean-spirited Tory attack
on the poor, women, handicapped lesbians, etc. This from a newspaper who employs the
gentle and humble Michelle Landsberg, a woman so seething with hatred of anyone who she
disagrees with that she describes her intellectual opposites in terms suitable for war
criminals. A newspaper whose so-called "expert" columnists have the
unenviable record of being wrong on just about every issue they weigh in on when viewed
historically. A newspaper that can't keep its editorial positions off its
front page (sorry, merely labelling a page 1 story "Analysis" doesn't make it
okay in my books).
From an investor's perspective, Torstar's offer may look
attractive, but there's far more at stake here. At roughly $10.00 per share SunMedia
is undervalued when you look at the potential for growth not only of its publishing
business but also its online service Canoe and the potential for profit in the coming
explosion of e-commerce. Hell, at $16.00 its a good deal. I don't think for a
minute that Torstar just pulled that price out of a hat. They know what SunMedia's
really worth and they want it now before everyone else figures it out. Those suits
in Torstar's boardroom are every bit the fat-cat money grubbing elitist robber barons they
so smugly accuse others of being. They can't be allowed to get their hands on our
Sun.
The Toronto Sun is more than just a newspaper. Its an
attitude, and I'd argue one that's distinctly Canadian. Willing to forge new ground.
Not afraid to take a stand. And most importantly, confident enough of itself
to truly allow a columnist to write what's on their mind even if it cuts against the grain
of every other opinion in the paper. I recall the time Doug Creighton was moved out
of his last position. Could you imagine The Star allowing its columnists to take on
the wisdom of the board day after day on the op-ed pages? Not bloody likely if their
behaviour during their union conflicts is any indication. The Star is a liberal
mouthpiece pure and simple and while they don't come out and explicitly say so they're
proud of it. And liberals crave control. If this takeover happens the new
owners will no doubt allow the Sun to operate freely for a little while, but just wait
until no further in the future than the next Ontario election. Godfrey will be
pushed out, Torstar will install one of its sheep as editorial page chief, and the
castration will begin. The Torstar group feels it has a social mission to fulfill
and there's no way their going to let an independently minded free wheeling "right
wing trash sheet" like The Sun get in their way.
I generally don't like protesters. That's mainly because
they usually waste their time on issues that have no direct bearing on their day-to-day
lives and fail to think through the underlying elements of a situation. But this is
different. Toronto will be intellectually poorer if Torstar gets its mitts on The
Sun. Some of the finest journalists in Toronto will be straight-jacketed. We
can't let this happen.
I challenge anyone who reads this page and even partially
agrees with its message to take action against this affront to the journalistic culture of
this great city. Lets organize. Lets march on 1 Yonge Street, and soon.
I want to see thousands of loyal Sun readers, those of us who see in "Toronto's Other
Voice" an echo of our own, marching, chanting with placards held high, on Fort
Torstar. I want to see sun staffers, from Day-oners to recent hires, standing
outside that monolith by the lake chanting "Hell no!" Those whiners at
The Star like "Days of Action" so much? Fine. Let's bring one to
their front door. Or better yet, over by the loading docks...specifically the one
that they had to enlarge so Michelle Landsberg could get her ego into the building.
No rowdiness now, 'cause we're good little activists. But a cacophony of jeers as
Star-sheep go into work. A resounding "Hands off our Sun" whenever a suit
advances on the front steps. Maybe even a little "Hey Ho, Hey Ho. Toronto
Star, You Blow!" (After all, I was a committed leftist in my university
days...now all they taught me will come back to haunt them. Oh joy, oh bliss!).
So what about it, eh? Do you care enough to save a paper that brought a
little life into this stodgy old town? That speaks its mind so you can see a mirror
of your own? That can thumb its nose at authority yet still be respectful of
tradition? I do, damned straight. This isn't just about shareholders, stock
prices and boardrooms. This is about culture. This is about how we want our
city and its people portrayed in the media. THIS IS ABOUT FREE SPEECH AND
JOURNALISTIC INTEGRITY FOR CRYING OUT LOUD! Whew.
So Sunaholics? Lets get busy. Someone down there at 333 King
pick a day, a time, a marshalling point and lets get going. Hey Blatch, if you read
this, hit one for the old team and get us some cops for free to block traffic as we march
down Yonge. Peter, you've got some buddies that can give a good old-fashioned
political-stump type speech; see if you can bug them for some time. Get all the old
day-oners out to stand up for what they built. And Diane, how about a few articles
in The Post on how The Sun is more profitable and a better long term hold than putting
your money behind a corporation whose raison d'ete is bashing business? I smell a
revolution here!
Lets get this going. We haven't got much time. email
this URL to all your friends, business associates, politicians, clergy and pets (look, we
need bodies if this is going to look good on the front page). Email me: mitchbert@hotmail.com and we'll start
the wrecking ball rolling.
I haven't been this excited since I got my first email reply
from Blatchford.
mitchbert 1998/10/29
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