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, which owns several daily newspapers, including the National PostI’ottawa citizen and the Vancouver Sun. post media employs around 650 journalists.
At the end of January, the newspaper learned that it would have to cut around ten posts in its newsroom, or nearly 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.
Mitch Garber never dreamed of owning a newspaper, he says. But for the survival of everyday life, he would be ready to go ahead. 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 executives two weeks ago now, he says. But there has been no return, as announced cuts seem to be going ahead.
On Wednesday, he 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.