Cape Breton Post
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The ''Cape Breton Post'' is the only daily
newspaper A newspaper is a Periodical literature, periodical publication containing written News, information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as poli ...
published on
Cape Breton Island Cape Breton Island (, formerly '; or '; ) is a rugged and irregularly shaped island on the Atlantic coast of North America and part of the province of Nova Scotia, Canada. The island accounts for 18.7% of Nova Scotia's total area. Although ...
. Founded in Sydney, Nova Scotia, in 1901, it specializes in local coverage of news, events, and sports from communities in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality and the counties of Inverness, Richmond and Victoria.


History


Predecessors and establishment

The ''Cape Breton Post'' evolved from the earlier independent ''Sydney Post-Record'' (1933-1956), owned by John Stewart McLennan, which resulted from a merger of the morning and evening editions of the Liberal paper the ''Sydney Record'' (originated as a weekly in 1884) and the Conservative ''Sydney Daily Post'' (originated as a weekly in 1896; became a daily paper on March 8, 1901, purchased by Mclennan in 1904). With the amalgamation of these two papers in January 1933 the ''Post-Record'' became a politically independent daily, with a circulation increasing from approximately 7,200 to 27,000 by 1951. The ''Post-Record'' primarily covered Cape Breton County, with some coverage of the rest of Cape Breton Island and the eastern Nova Scotia mainland. The Post-Record's name was changed to its current name, The ''Cape Breton Post'', in July 1956 to better reflect the broader scope of its coverage. The very first issue of the ''Cape Breton Post'' was published on July 14, 1956.


Sale to Hollinger

The ''Cape Breton Post'' was acquired by Thomson Newspapers at the end of 1971. In September 1996 Thompson sold its group of Maritime papers, including the Post, to Vancouver-based Hollinger Inc., which also owned the Southam Inc. chain.


Transcontinental Media purchase

Canwest, after acquiring Southam in November 2000, which included the ''Cape Breton Post'', examined ways to integrate many of its smaller market papers into its Global television news division; however, it wasn't to be. On August 10, 2002, Canwest sold eight
Atlantic Canada Atlantic Canada, also called the Atlantic provinces (), is the list of regions of Canada, region of Eastern Canada comprising four provinces: New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. As of 2021, the landma ...
and two
Saskatchewan Saskatchewan is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada. It is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and to the south by the ...
daily newspapers, 34 community papers, and two printing plants to Transcontinental Media including the ''Cape Breton Post'', and St. John's'' The Telegram''. The deal allowed Transcontinental to use its newly acquired Summerside, Prince Edward Island plant to print the Atlantic Canada version of the ''National Post''.


Circulation

According to figures via Canadian Newspaper Association, the ''Cape Breton Post's'' average weekday circulation for 2015 was 16,972, while on Saturdays it was 16,319. Because of the relatively small population of Cape Breton Island, that meant that over 12% of the population could be receiving the paper and its advertisements. Like most Canadian daily newspapers, the ''Cape Breton Post'' has seen a decline in circulation, dropping its total by % to 106,473 copies daily from 2008 to 2015. Figures refer to the total circulation (print and digital combined), which includes paid and unpaid copies. :::::::::Daily average


Saltwire acquisition

On April 13, 2017, Transcontinental announced that it had sold all of its newspapers in Atlantic Canada to SaltWire Network, a newly formed parent company of '' The Chronicle Herald''. On 29 November 2018 Saltwire Network announced the closure of its press in Sydney, with the printing of the ''Cape Breton Post'' moved to the company's press in Halifax. In March 2019, all SaltWire publication websites, including the ''Cape Breton Post'', introduced metered paywalls. At the end of March 2019, the ''Post's'' owners, Saltwire, terminated its affiliation with the Canadian Press newswire service, opting instead to become a client of Postmedia and
Reuters Reuters ( ) is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide writing in 16 languages. Reuters is one of the largest news agencies in the world. The agency ...
. In March 2019, SaltWire announced it was putting 10 of its newspaper buildings up for sale, including the headquarters for the ''Cape Breton Post''


Cease print edition of ''Cape Breton Post'' on Mondays

On 3 October 2022, SaltWire Network announced they would cease publishing a print version of the ''Cape Breton Post'' on Mondays. Alon with the ''Post'', three other Satwire publications were impacted, The Chronicle Herald in Halifax, The Guardian in Charlottetown, P.E.I., and The Telegram in St. Johns. Digital editions will continue on Mondays. The announcement took effect on 17 October, but as in the past, there was no print publication on Thanksgiving Monday.


Postmedia's takeover

In March 2024, Saltwire declared bankruptcy. Postmedia Network bought the remains of Saltwire in late summer 2024, including the ''Cape Breton Post''. About a month after Postmedia's takeover, major layoffs occurred in management, editorial staff, and writers, including cartoonist Michael de Adder which also resulted in local content being replaced by advertisements. The ''Post's'' most recent headquarters in Sydney was put up for sale in October 2024 as the paper is no longer printed in Sydney, but at the same printing press as the '' Halifax Chronicle Herald'' on the mainland. This building, built for the ''Post'' in 1985, is located at the corner of Dorchester and George Streets, and is just a short distance from the former brick and concrete ''Sydney Post-Record'' building at 75 Dorchester Street, which still stands.


Notable staff

* H.P. Duchemin, who started the predecessor publication as the ''Sydney Daily Post'' in 1899/1901 * Roy Duchemin, son of H.P. Duchemin, who took over as publisher in the early 1940s. * Night editor Bob Duchemin (1965 – 2010, son of Roy, grandson of H.P.) * Associate editor, Doug McGee (1984 – 2010)


See also

*
List of newspapers in Canada This list of newspapers in Canada is a list of newspapers printed and distributed in Canada. Daily newspapers Local weeklies Alberta * Bashaw – ''Bashaw Star'' * Bassano – ''Bassano Times'' * Beaumont – ''Beaumont News'' * Beaverlodg ...


References


External links


Official website
{{Canadian journalism Mass media in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality SaltWire Network publications Postmedia Network publications Daily newspapers published in Nova Scotia