Guelph Mercury

Infobox Newspaper
name =


type = Daily newspaper
format = Broadsheet
foundation = 1854
owners = Torstar
headquarters = Guelph, Ontario
editor = Lynn Haddrall
publisher = Dana Robbins | ISSN =
website = [http://guelphmercury.com/ www.guelphmercury.com]

The "Guelph Mercury" is an English language newspaper published in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. It publishes a mix of community, national and international news and is owned by the Torstar Corporation. The newspaper, in many incarnations, has been a part of the community since 1854. It is one of the oldest broadsheet newspapers in Ontario.

History

The Guelph Mercury was founded in 1854 as the "Guelph Advertiser" and published weekly by owner George Keeling. In 1862, Toronto newspaperman James Innes took over the editorship of the "Advertiser" and shortly thereafter formed a partnership with John McLagan, owner of the competing weekly newspaper the "Guelph Mercury". The two papers merged to form the "Mercury and Advertiser".

"The Mercury" was expanded into a daily newspaper in 1867. Among its editors was the future best-selling novellist Thomas B. Costain who worked there from 1908 to 1910.

"The Guelph Mercury" has since had numerous owners. Innes sold his share in the newspaper in 1905 to J. Innes McIntosh, who also bought the "Guelph Herald", a competing daily newspaper, in 1924. McIntosh then sold his share in 1929 to James Playfair, who sold the paper in the late 1940s to Thomson Newspapers. Thomson remained owner for half a century, until Hollinger Inc. purchased the paper in 1995. Sun Media purchased the paper in 1998 and then resold it to Torstar Corporation. Torstar is the current (2007) owner.

Present

Today, "The Guelph Mercury" is published 6 days a week by Metroland Media Group, a subsidy of Torstar Corporation. The newspaper also publishes a free weekly roundup as well as various other special publications, such as Guelph Life magazine. The Guelph Mercury is one of few Torstar newspapers still to have their own presses since the Mercury's sister paper, "The Record" is printed at another Torstar site, The Hamilton Spectator in Hamilton, Ontario. Both the "Guelph Tribune" and "Guelph Mercury" are owned and published by Metroland Media Group but keep separate newsrooms and operations.

External links

* [http://www.guelphmercury.com/index.html Guelph Mercury website]
* [http://www.torstar.ca/ Torstar Corporation]