Two Sun editors leave their newspapers amidst massive Sun Media cuts
The editor of the Winnipeg Sun left the paper within hours of Sun Media announcing massive cuts and just a day after the editor of the Toronto Sun stepped down.
The editor of the Winnipeg Sun was laid off, a casualty of Sun Media's massive cuts announced Tuesday, just a day after the editor of the Toronto Sun stepped down.
Stephen Ripley's updated LinkedIn profile, under his experience as Winnipeg Sun editor-in-chief reads: Managing a dwindling newsroom of 45, then 40, then 32, then 24 journalists.
Managing editor Mark Hamm will be the new editor at the Winnipeg Sun. Wendy Metcalfe, who is currently the editor of the St. Catharine's Standard and Sun Media's regional content director for Niagara and southern Ontario, will be the new editor of the Toronto Sun.
Former Toronto Sun editor James Wallace announced the decision to step down Monday afternoon. Before being appointed to editor of the Sun in 2008, Wallace had previously been a reporter and columnist with the Sun, Osprey Media, the National Post and Brandon Sun.
The Toronto Sun's parent company Sun Media also announced 360 job cuts, the closure of eight publications and three free dailies Tuesday. Those cuts are part of a company-wide overhaul meant to save $55 million annually.
[node:ad]Sun Media shut down at least five of those publications in June and closed several others at the end of last year. The chain has also consolidated positions in the newsroom and centralized production for many of its newspapers. Sun Media had already announced cutting 500 jobs in November as part of a restructuring plan.
Related content on J-Source:
- Sun Media cutting 360 jobs, shutting down 8 publications and 3 free dailies
- Updated: Sun Media shuts down three more community newspapers
- Sun Media to cut 500 jobs, add more paywalls
At the time, Wallace responded to an op-ed about the cuts in J-Source. He said the industry was "caught mid-evolution between old traditions and new realities – between newspapers and the eventual digital technologies that deliver the news." He also added "change has always been part of our industry and it’s at the heart of everything we cover. Those who let it dishearten or overwhelm will falter and ultimately fail."
Wallace has yet to respond to J-Source's request for comment.
