To ensure the survival of the English-language newspaper Montreal Gazettelawyer and entrepreneur Mitch Garber confirmed to The Press that he would be willing to acquire it, in part or in whole, by himself or by setting up a group of local shareholders.
“I think it’s very important for Montreal, and for Quebec, that there is a daily newspaper in English,” explains entrepreneur Mitch Garber on the phone. My opinion is that for the Montreal Gazette really has a chance of surviving, there must be local owners. »
THE Montreal Gazette is owned by Postmedia Network, which owns several daily newspapers, including the National PostI’ottawa citizen and the Vancouver Sun. Postmedia Network employs approximately 650 journalists across Canada.
At the end of January, the Montreal Gazette learned that it would have to cut about ten posts in its newsroom, or almost a quarter of its journalists. A decision that calls into question the very survival of the daily founded in 1778, according to employees.
” Today, [le journal] is 100% owned by Postmedia, which is nearly 100% owned by a fund located in New Jersey [aux États-Unis] continues Mr. Garber. “But if a local group could hold shares in the Gazetteit would be much easier to go see Quebec and Montreal companies, saying that we need their support [par la publicité] “, Considers the businessman.
Change model
Mitch Garber never dreamed of owning a newspaper, but for the survival of the daily he would be willing to go ahead, he first told journalist Christopher Curtis in an article published Wednesday in The Rover.
His idea would be to set up a group of local investors who, as shareholders of the company, would help attract advertisers.
He took the suggestion directly to senior Postmedia Network executives two weeks ago now, he says. But there has been no return, as announced cuts go ahead.
According The Rover3 of the 19 journalists remaining in Montreal Gazette chose to voluntarily quit their job. If others do not make the same choice by Friday, employees will be terminated in order of seniority. The newsroom thus risks losing its only two journalists aged in their thirties.
The cuts also affect the photography department, which will be amputated by two of its four members.
On Wednesday, Mitch Garber therefore decided to publicly denounce this situation on Twitter. ” The Gazette is about to enter the intensive care of the newspapers, he wrote in English. I don’t want to be quiet while we carry him on a stretcher. »
Postmedia was not immediately available for comment.