Torstar

Encyclopedia : T : TO : TOR : Torstar

Torstar Corporation TSX: [TS.NV.B-T] is an independently-owned Canadian publishing company. Named after its principal holding, the Toronto Star daily newspaper, Torstar was founded after the Ontario government passed a law barring the provisions of late-Toronto Star owner Joseph Atkinson's will from being enacted. Atkinson had bequeathed the newspaper to a charitable organization he had founded. The Conservative provincial government of George Drew (a long time enemy of the Liberal-oriented Star) passed a law banning charitable organizations from operating profitable entities such as newspapers. Rather than sell the newpspaper, the trustees of the Atkinson Foundation bought out the Star privately and founded Torstar as a private corporation.

Along with the Toronto Star, Torstar owns and operates CityMedia Group which is comprised of three daily newspapers, 10 weekly newspapers, 18 specialty publications, an annual directory and three printing operations all in southern Ontario. These dailys include: The Hamilton Spectator, The Guelph Mercury and The Record as well as eleven weekly or monthly newspapers outside of Toronto, and eye Weekly, an alternative weekly newspaper. Metroland Publishing is a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation which publishes 60 neighbourhood papers three times a week. These newspapers cover neighbourhood issues not otherwise covered by the large dailies. They are distributed free of charge and have captured a large portion of the neighbourhood flyer market. These newspapers include:

Annex Guardian
'Beach/Riverdale Mirror''
Bloor West Villager
East York Mirror
Etobicoke Guardian
North York Mirror
Scarborough Mirror
York Guardian

Torstar is also a partner in Sing Tao, a daily Chinese-language newspaper in Toronto, and in the Toronto edition of Metro, a free commuter newspaper aimed at riders of public transit.

Torstar also operates a book publishing division which owns Harlequin Enterprises Ltd, a major publisher of romance novels.

In late 2005, Torstar acquired a 20% stake in Bell Globemedia along with Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan and The Thomson Corporation.

Torstar, in addition of owning Shoptv in Canada, recently launched a weekly celebrity-based magazine called Scoop.

Corporate governance

Current members of the board of directors of Torstar are: Don Babick, B. Neil Clark, Martin Connell, Jack Fuller, Christina Gold, Campbell Harvey, John Honderich, Frank Iacobucci (chairman), J. Spencer Lanthier, Sarabjit Marwah, Peter Mills, Robert Prichard, Lance Primis, Ronald Osborne, and Martin Thall.

External link

[Torstar corporate webpage]

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