Postmedia confirms plans to close 6 newspapers, cut staff

TORONTO — Postmedia Network Inc. will close six small-town newspapers and cut print publication of four more, while slashing 10 per cent of its total salary outlay through layoffs and voluntary buyouts by the end of August.

“While these are difficult decisions to make, they are necessary to manage our cost structure and structural transform,” spokesperson Phyllise Gelfand said in an email Tuesday.

The company confirmed it will shut down the Camrose Canadian and Strathmore Standard in Alberta and the Kapuskasing Northern Times, Ingersoll

Times, Norwich Gazette and Petrolia Topic in Ontario.

It will also stop printing The Graphic in Portage La Prairie, Man., along with the Northern News in Kirkland Lake, Ont., and The Daily Observer in Pembroke, Ont.

It said those three publications will continue to have a digital presence and communities will continue to be served by free weekly publications — the Herald Leader in Portage La Prairie, Kirkland Lake Northern News This Week and the weekly Pembroke News.

The High River Times in Alberta will move from publishing two days per week to once weekly and retain a website.

Postmedia said in an internal memo obtained by The Canadian Press that it has undertaken a review of the organization and identified roles to be eliminated.

It said there will also be a targeted voluntary buyout (VBO) program for all editorial staff, whether unionized or not, open until July 10.

“If target savings aren’t met through the initial VBO program and targeted reductions, further staff reductions will be identified across our operations,” the memo states.

Postmedia CEO Paul Godfrey was not available for interviews.