There is still no word, at least in public, on whether Black Press intends to merge, close or keep separate the Glacier Media newspapers it will soon own in Abbotsford and Chilliwack.
Chris Parry, of Stockhouse.com speculated when the deal was announced in October that mergers and closures might follow the exchange of newspaper titles between Black Press and Glacier Media announced earlier this year.
The deal is supposed to be finalized before the end of the year and Glacier’s outsourcing of production jobs overseas is slated to occur December 13.
[excerpt]Said Parry’s story in October, “Affected newspapers include the Abbotsford-Mission Times and Chilliwack Times (Glacier to Black), and the North Shore Outlook, South Delta Leader, Bowen Island Undercurrent and the Westender (Black to Glacier).
The Undercurrent is the only newspaper involved in the deal that doesn’t have a local competitor under the same umbrella.
Black Press CEO Rick O’Connor declined to tell a Canadian Press reporter how much the deal was worth, or if some titles may be closed or merged, but it was revealed in early October that Glacier would be outsourcing ad production jobs to the Philippines.
[source]
Neither newspaper group has spoken publicly on plans to merge or close the publications in any of the affected markets.
Glacier Media currently owns the Abbotsford Times and Chilliwack Times. Black Press owns the Abbotsford News and Chilliwack Progress.
