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Five bilingual weeklies go French-only (08/03/2009)
Five bilingual weekly newspapers in the Montreal area are now publishing in French only. The publisher, Transcontinental Media, says articles in both French and English were taking up too much space in print, but is providing English translations on their websites.
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Le Messager in Verdun, Le Messager in Lachine-Dorval, Le Messager in LaSalle, Le Magazine in Nuns' Island and Le Magazine Sud-ouest are the five weekly papers affected by the change.
THANKS for stopping by, I do my best to acknowledge when someone leaves a comment,you do not have to be a member here & everyone is welcome. Ps: This site is monitored but not actively posting on a regular basis. Mostly these are stories & some photos saved from a defunct site known as Verdun Connections which was on MSN Groups initially then on a social network called Multiply.
This I took on the CTV site. I'm french and I don't believe that this is just. For those in low incomes computers are not the norm. Every English business owner should remove advertisement and if they have a business that is not advertising in the paper they should make them aware that due to their position they never will.
ReplyDeleteYou are absolutely right - but wait and see - what other language will replace english and won't be taking up too much space?????.
ReplyDeleteSadly, as a longtime newspaper employee, I am afraid I understand. It has nothing to do with language and everything to do with the realities of the 21st century. People don't read newspapers like they once did. Remember the Montreal Star? I do, I worked there...
ReplyDeleteThe Montreal Star was a commercial news paper (for profit).These are community news papers and are meant for the residences to be informed as to what is going on in their community.These is pure discrimination .Pauline
ReplyDeleteHey Pauline, relax. No need to get testy. I did not mean to offend anyone.
ReplyDeleteI was just pointing out the realities of today's newspaper biz. I honestly don't think it is pure discrimination. Simple economics. And I don't think the Messenger is a Non Profit newspaper. I believe it is part of a larger company that is a for profit concern.
Great weekend everyone.
Glen is right on that one the Messanger group is a large one,with newspapers spreading through several provinces... and they are definetly in it for the money. hf&rv
ReplyDeleteWhat is the percentage of people who speak and read english in Verdun present day?
ReplyDeleteThat info may be in the thread I just posted about the company that owns & operates many newspapers including the Messanger. HF&RV
ReplyDeleteThanks Les It said up until the 70's english was around 40%. I would guess it is around 10 % today. Sorry Pony I would agree with Glen it probably is pure economics,although I left in 76 and have no idea what the politics are like there now.You can be assured that the messanger is there to turn a profit. Brian
ReplyDeleteHi glennlarkin I don’t know where you got the impression that I was getting nasty??? I was just expression my opinion as I read the story ,although I do not have the experience you have in the news paper business. But to quote you”People don’t read newspapers like they once did”…….My question is why are they keeping the paper news paper, why are they not putting the whole paper on the web.????
ReplyDeleteYou are right about the Messenger being a “for profit” newspaper.
Transcontinental Media look who is subsidizing them
http://www.transcontinental.com/en/5-news-centre/09-07-28.html#
Quoting the story……..“The publisher, Transcontinental Media, says articles in both French and English were taking up too much space in print, but is providing English translations on their websites”
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Why target only the English population. If that is the case. they could have very easily reduced the quantity in the printed news paper not the quality and publish the balance in French and English on the web. At least the English who do not have a computer would have access to what the paper was meant to deliver to these communities
Quoting the story…….”We're in a low-income situation here in Verdun and not everyone has a computer, so what do those people do? They're stiffed," said Joe Quinn of the Dawson Community Centre in Verdun
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Verdun has low income English residents so why do they have to be keep in the dark about what is going on in their own community.
I correct my early comment .It is discrimination against the English and low income earners.
http://www.transcontinental.com/en/5-news-centre/09-05-15.html
ReplyDeletehttp://www.transcontinental.com/en/5-news-centre/09-02-06.html
ReplyDeletehttp://www.thestar.com/business/article/672924
ReplyDeletePony You make an excellent point about reducing the amount being printed but still printing the important news about the community in both english an french.You have convinced me and i Agree with you. Brian
ReplyDeleteThe easiest way to express displeasure with the papers decision,is to actually ask that they not deliver to your door the Messanger ,If enough people requested that the paper delivery person ,not deliver it to their door,it would accomplish two things,it would voice your form of protest,& it would alleviate the recycle route of all those advertising flyers that come with the paper,as well as the paper itself,& that would free up a half hour of going through the paper twice a week:
ReplyDeleteI disagree with the 'read it online' thing as Still there are many folks who do not use a computer or don't have access to one. I prefer to read online as I can peruse papers from all over the world,& then i'm up to date,without having to bother with the actual paper. For years now we've only purchased the Friday paper ,because it has the TV listings in it. Otherwise we don't get one ,except our version of the local (messanger type) paper,which comes twice a week & often goes directly to the 'blue box recycle bin' ......So if dissatisfied with the paper,ask not to have it be dropped at your door.
HF&RV
Pony,
ReplyDeleteI guess your comment about pure discrimmination is where I got the impression. My mistake. Common in emails, as they don't carry the nuance of a conversation.
My apologies to you.
Glenn.
Hey Glennlarlin
ReplyDeleteNO BEER SUMMIT - No need to apologize but thanks anyways
Pauline