The newspaper published its first edition in November 1971, after it had acquired the assets of the defunct Toronto Telegram, and hired portions of the Telegram's staff. In 1978, Toronto Sun Holdings and Toronto Sun Publishing were consolidated to form Sun Publishing (later renamed Sun Media Corporation). Sun Publishing went on to form similar tabloids to the Toronto Sun in other Canadian cities during the late 1970s and 1980s. The Sun was acquired by Postmedia Network in 2015, as a part of the sale of the Sun's parent company, Sun Media.
History
20st century
In 1971, the Toronto Sun Publishing was created and purchased the syndication operations and newspaper vending boxes from the Toronto Telegram, which ceased operations in the same year. The Toronto Sun also recruited staff from the former Telegram conservative broadsheet newspaper, and published its first edition on 1 November 1971.[3][4]
Publisher Doug Creighton was originally going to name the new newspaper the Toronto News but Andy Donato, who was asked to design the paper's first front page and decided to call the paper the Toronto Sun instead. Creighton decided it was too late to change it and renamed the paper.[5]
The former Toronto Sun building at 333 King Street East in 2007.
The Toronto Sun was originally published out of leased space at the Eclipse White Wear Company Building at 322 King Street West.[6] In 1975, the newspaper moved into the Toronto Sun Building at 333 King Street East which was eventually expanded to six storeys to house all of the newspaper's operations. In 2010, the building was sold to property development company First Gulf, and the Sun consolidated its operations onto the second floor.[7] It remained in the building until it relocated offices in 2016.
In 1978, Toronto Sun Holdings and Toronto Sun Publishing were consolidated to form Sun Publishing. The corporation expanded its tabloid footprint, having established its second tabloid, the Edmonton Sun through a partnership agreement with Edmonton Sun Publishing in 1978. The Albertan was acquired in 1980 and made into the company's third tabloid, the Calgary Sun in 1980.[3]
In 2004, the Sun began its annual George Gross/Toronto Sun Sportsperson of the Year award.[9] By the mid-2000s, the word "The" was dropped from the paper's name and the newspaper adopted its current logo.
The paper acquired a television station from Craig Media in 2005, which was renamed SUN TV.[10] It was later transformed into the Sun News Network until its demise in 2015.[11]
As of the end of 2007, the Sun had a Monday through Saturday circulation of approximately 180,000 papers and Sunday circulation of 310,000.
The Sun was acquired by Postmedia in 2015, with its purchase of Sun Media from Quebecor. Following the acquisition the Toronto Sun staff and operations moved to 365 Bloor Street East, the same building that houses the National Post, in March of 2016. However, the two newspapers maintain separate newsrooms.[12]
Antisemitic cartoon
On December 20, 2023, the Toronto Sun published a cartoon by U.S.-based artist Gary Varvel that was criticized for being antisemitic and Ukrainophobic. In the cartoon, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is Jewish, was depicted walking alongside U.S. President Joe Biden, with Zelenskyy appearing to pull a wallet out of Biden's back pocket.[13] The portrayal of Zelenskyy exaggerated his facial features, resembling a style frequently found in antisemitic caricatures,[14] notably characterized by a Shylock nose.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau denounced the illustration as "the worst kind of antisemitic content,"[14] while the Ukrainian Canadian Congress stated that the cartoon perpetuated anti-Semitic stereotypes and insulted the Ukrainian people, who are defending their country from Russia's genocide.[15][16] The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs also criticized the cartoon for promoting antisemitic stereotypes.[17] The Sun later issued an apology on behalf of Adrienne Batra, Editor-in-Chief, for publishing Varvel's comic, stating that it did not meet their editorial standards and that Varvel's work would no longer be used.[18]
Circulation
A Toronto Sun newspaper vending machine in 2015.
The Toronto Sun has seen—like most Canadian daily newspapers—a decline in circulation. Its total circulation dropped by 36 percent to 121,304 copies daily from 2009 to 2015.[19]
The Toronto Sun originally had several editors with various responsibilities, none with the title "editor-in-chief"; however, from 1971 to 1976, Peter Worthington was listed on the newspaper's masthead immediately under the publisher, Doug Creighton.
^"Daily Newspaper Circulation Data". News Media Canada. Retrieved December 16, 2017. Figures refer to the total circulation (print and digital combined) which includes paid and unpaid copies.
"Into the Sunset Day Oners (pt. 1)". YouTube. July 25, 2021. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Former Toronto Telegram employees who launched tabloid on Nov. 1, 1971 and are no longer with us
