Sun Media closes down Midland Free Press

By Kate Harries AWARE News Network June 18 2013
North Simcoe loses an important voice this week. The Thursday’s Midland Free Press will be a collector’s item, as it will be the last edition.
Sun Media, a subsidiary of Quebecor, has decided that Midland could no longer support a newspaper. The Free Press has declined steadily over the years, ending up with an absentee editor and no full-time editorial staff.

Free Press freelancer Doug Glynn will be sorely missed. He had the nose of someone in the news business for 60 years – and the integrity of a dying breed of newsmen. He was also up-to-the-minute: unlike many main-stream journalists, Doug knew how to talk to First Nations people, he had an understanding of their priorities and respect for their traditions.
You could tip Doug off to a story, and know immediately that he would get it, every facet, every complexity. And he’d be hot on the trail. The only issue would be whether he could convince his editors to stand behind a story that might find disfavour with local heavyweights.
I moved to this area some 30 years ago and freelanced for the Free Press. My beat included Flos Township and the Village of Elmvale (later, working for the Barrie Banner, I covered Vespra Township). I was happy to be in the fine tradition of two centuries of local newspapers when there was a reporter sitting at every council meeting to write up the proceedings. The public was informed. Democracy was served.
Now, many councils meet without any media in attendance. The P.R. machine substitutes for a free press. And it’s not free. On your tax dollar, Springwater Township – for instance – and Simcoe County each have a communications department whose job it is to write ‘news’ that makes the elected politicians look good. And the newspapers that survive print these ‘news’ releases without identifying them as P.R. hackery. After all, who can afford a reporter?
These items look just like news articles – and people respond to them as if they are the genuine article.
But they’re partisan and paid for – by the politicians, who they serve but ultimately, by you, the people, who have the most to lose when another newspaper bites the dust.

Sun Media closes Midland operation; other papers remain unaffected
Barrie Exmainer June 20, 2013
The Midland Free Press, which has been a source of news for Midland and surrounding area since 1879, has closed.
“Decisions such as these are never easy and occur only after considerable review,” said Rob Leuschner, Regional Publisher/Director of Advertising for The Free Press along with the Barrie Examiner, Orillia Packet & Times and Collingwood Enterprise Bulletin. “The Free Press in Midland has existed for 134 years and during that time has been an important media choice for many readers and advertisers within the community.”
None of these other papers, including the Examiner, have been affected by the closure and remain the voice of their communities.
“In recent years the paper has had financial challenges. The team at The Free Press has worked diligently to improve the financial position of the newspaper but at the end of the day, it has not been enough to justify the investment required to continue publishing,” he added.” I would like to thank readers, advertisers, community leaders and the staff of the Free Press for their past contributions and commitment to the paper.”
The Free Press has won numerous awards for both editorial and sales over the years including being named the best all-around weekly in the country (Mason Trophy) in 1941 and for having the best editorial page in 1945 ( Dave Williams Memorial Trophy).
The Free Press was purchased in 1994 by the Southam Newspaper Group which, in turn, was absorbed by Hollinger. They sold the paper to Osprey Media which was purchased by Quebecor and has operated under that umbrella for the past few years.