Black Press closes doors on Nanaimo Daily News
By Nelson Daily Staff
A few days after Postmedia Network Canada Corp. announced cuts to editorial staff across Canada, Black Press closed the doors on the 141-year-old Nanaimo Daily News Friday.
“Black Press informed workers at the 141-year-old Nanaimo Daily News today that it will publish it’s last edition January 29,” Rob Munro, vice-president of Unifor 2000, the union representing unionized employees, said Friday in a media release.
Munro said Black Press also served 60 days notice, under Section 54 of the Labour Code, to Local 2000 officers.
“This will result in the layoff of more than a dozen union members, who will continue to be paid through the 60-days notice period and receive severance under the collective agreement,” Munro explained.
The newspaper used Facebook and Twitter to release the information to the public.
“After 141 years, the Nanaimo Daily News will close its doors on Jan. 29,” the Twitter message said.
“We thank our loyal readers and advertisers for their support.”
The company website lists a staff of 10 member, including three reporters and a photographer.
Black Press bought the paper from Glacier Media in December 2014.
Black Press also owns the Nanaimo News Bulletin, which publishes twice a week.
Readers and former staff of the Nelson Daily News can relate to losing its daily source of information.
In July 2010, Black Press closed the Nelson Daily News sending a large staff of employees to the streets looking for a job.
At the time of the closure, Black Press was operating the Nelson Star, a non-union paper. Black Press also operates newspapers in the Kootenays, including the Trail Times, Castlegar News, Cranbrook Townsman and Kimberley Bulletin.
“(The closure of the Nanaimo Daily News) follows a number of similar closures of newspapers in 2015,” said Munro.
“It is a reflection of the difficult economic times facing the newspaper industry and is a sad day for all those affected.”
On its website, Black Press says it is the largest independently owned newspaper company in Canada, with operations in British Columbia and Alberta.
It also has holdings in Washington, Hawaii, California and Ohio, and employs 3,500 people.
Story originated at The Nelson Daily
