Vancouver weekly ‘Georgia Straight’ sold to Media Central Corp. for $1.25M

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It started in 1967 as an ‘anti-establishment’ publication, but has had trouble staying afloat

The Dec. 26, 2019 edition of The Georgia Straight newspaper. (Jan Zeschky/CBC)
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The Media Central Corporation Inc. has moved to buy the Vancouver-based Georgia Straight newspaper for $1.25 million.

In addition to the weekly print publication, which began as an anti-establishment newspaper in 1967, Media Central is poised to acquire straight.com and straightcannabis.ca, it announced Monday.

It’s the second recent acquisition for the company. Last month, Media Central, which has an address in Vaughn, Ont., said it was acquiring Now Magazine — Toronto’s weekly alternative paper — and its website for $2 million.

Its other publications include the cannabis-focused website CannCentral.

The Georgia Straight currently has an estimated 2.7 million readers of its print edition, and another 1.8 million readers online.

Decline in advertising

Founder Dan McLeod says he saw potential in Media Central’s plans for Now, which were announced Dec. 2. His son, general manager Matt McLeod, negotiated the deal.

He said he hopes the sale gives staff at the publication job security.

“We have had problems with trying to stay running,” he told CBC in an interview Monday.

McLeod acknowledged that weeklies have been hit by the same decline in advertising that has affected most other print publications since the rise in digital alternatives.

Read more HERE.

4 COMMENTS

  1. Mediacentral. Brian Kalish is the CEO and CEO of Gemoscan. Gemoscan makes Hemocode, a blood drop testing system for $450 a pop that supposedly determines food intolerances based on postive IGg reaction. Results reviewed by naturopaths.
    https://sciencebasedpharmacy.wordpress.com/2013/01/29/pharmacists-letter-issues-warning-about-hemocode-food-intolerance-testing/
    This sort of thing does not give me faith as to the idea that Georgia Straight, as overseen by Mr Kalish, will be doing in-depth and un-biased reporting that may actually be useful for the masses.
    P.S. Fake News, thanks for the link. Would not have ever got the rest without it.

  2. Thx Fake & George…my gut tells me the McLeods understand the realities of the newspaper biz these days and looked for the exits.
    Wish the new owners well, but their concept/biz plan presents a challenge..

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