Vancouver Sun

{{Short description|Canadian daily newspaper}}
{{for|the Canadian Supreme Court case|Vancouver Sun (Re)}}
{{Infobox newspaper
| name               = Vancouver Sun
| logo               = Vancouver Sun logo 2016.jpg
| logo_size          = 150px
| image              = 
| motto              = ''Seriously Westcoast''
| type               = Daily [[newspaper]]
| format             = [[Broadsheet]]
| foundation         = {{start date and age|1912|2|12|df=yes}}
| owners             = [[Postmedia Network Inc.]]
| headquarters       = 400-2985 Virtual Way, Vancouver, B.C., V5M 4X7
| chiefeditor        = Harold Munro
| ISSN               = 0832-1299
| website            = {{Official URL}}
}}

The '''''Vancouver Sun''''', also known as the '''''Sun''''', is a daily [[broadsheet]] newspaper based in [[Vancouver]], British Columbia, Canada. The newspaper is currently published by the Pacific Newspaper Group, a division of [[Postmedia Network]], and is the largest newspaper in [[western Canada]] by circulation. Since 2022, it is published five days a week from Tuesday to Saturday.

The newspaper was first published on 12 February 1912. It quickly expanded by acquiring other papers, such as the ''Daily News-Advertiser'' and ''[[Vancouver World|The Evening World]]''. In 1963, the Cromie family sold the majority of its holdings in the ''Sun'' to [[FP Publications]], who later sold the newspaper to [[Southam Inc.]] in 1980. The newspaper was taken over by [[Hollinger Inc.]] in 1992, and was later sold again to [[CanWest]] in 2000. In 2010, the newspaper became part of the [[Postmedia Network]] as a result of the collapse of CanWest.

== History ==
{{multiple image|total_width=330|image1=Vancouver Sun Tower.jpg|alt1=|caption1=The [[Sun Tower]] housed the ''Sun''{{'}}s offices from 1937 to 1965.|image2=Granville Square, Vancouver 2016.jpg|alt2=|caption2=[[Granville Square]] housed the ''Sun''{{'}}s offices from 1997 to 2015.}}
The ''Vancouver Sun'' published its first edition on 12 February 1912.<ref name=canen>{{cite web|url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/sun-vancouver|title=Sun (Vancouver)|publisher=Historica Canada|access-date=31 August 2022|date=17 October 2014}}</ref> The newspaper was originally based at 125 West Pender Street,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mackie |first1=John |url=https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/this-week-in-history-1933-a-vancouver-sun-mural-depicts-the-wealth-and-opportunities-in-b-c |title=This Week in History, 1933: A Vancouver Sun mural depicts the wealth and opportunities in B.C. |work=Vancouver Sun |date=22 October 2021}}</ref> just around the corner from ''[[The Province|The Vancouver Daily Province]]'', its rival at the time.{{cn|date=August 2022}} In 1917, the ''Sun'' acquired the ''Daily News-Advertiser'', a newspaper that was established in 1886.<ref name="canen" /> From 1917 until his death in 1936, its publisher was [[Robert James Cromie]].<ref>Stephen Hume, [http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/cromie_robert_james_16E.html "Cromie, Robert James"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160731213954/http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/cromie_robert_james_16E.html |date=2016-07-31 }}, in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 16, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–. Retrieved 20 July 2016.</ref> In 1924, the ''Sun'' acquired ''[[Vancouver World|The Evening World]]'', another newspaper established in 1888.<ref name=canen/>

In March 1937, a fire destroyed the ''Sun'''s business and editorial offices.<ref>{{cite news |title=An iconic landmark that towered over the British Empire |url=https://vancouversun.com/news/an-iconic-landmark-that-towered-over-the-british-empire |work=Vancouver Sun |date=7 February 2012}}</ref> The only death was the janitor, who suffered minor burns and smoke inhalation. The ''Sun'' promptly moved across the street into the World Building, where the ''World'' had been published. The building was accordingly renamed the [[Sun Tower]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Thirkell |first1=Fred |last2=Scullion |first2=Robert |title=Postcards from the Past: Edwardian Images of Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley |date=1996 |publisher=Heritage House Publishing Co. |isbn=9781895811230 |page=142 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=e0xGDz5Ncv4C&pg=PA142}}</ref> 

The ''Sun'' emerged as the city's leading newspaper after ''The Vancouver Daily Province'' experienced a lengthy labour dispute from 1946 to 1949.<ref name=canen/>

In 1958, the ''Vancouver Sun'' and ''The Province'' joined to create the ''Pacific Press'' in response to the rising costs of producing newspapers. First the papers merged their mechanical and financial departments, then they both moved into the Pacific Press Building on December 27, 1965. 

In 1963, the majority of the Cromie family holdings in the newspaper were sold to [[FP Publications]], who later sold it to [[Southam Inc.]] in 1980. In 1992, the newspaper was taken over by [[Conrad Black]]'s [[Hollinger Inc.]]<ref name=canen/>

The newspaper's [[photojournalism|photography department]] became the first in the world to fully switch over to [[digital photography]] following the 1994 release of the [[Kodak DCS 400 series]], which used a [[Nikon F90]] body; the camera was developed by [[Kodak]] in collaboration with [[The Associated Press]] and each unit cost $16,950.<ref name="photo-digital">{{cite web|last1=Richards|first1=Dan|title=The 30 Most Important Digital Cameras of All Time|url=http://www.popphoto.com/gear/2013/10/30-most-important-digital-cameras#page-9|website=[[Popular Photography]]|date=23 October 2013 |access-date=15 February 2017|archive-date=7 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161207153012/http://www.popphoto.com/gear/2013/10/30-most-important-digital-cameras#page-9|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Vancouver Sun & Province Printing Facility (29914273151).jpg|thumb|Inside the Kennedy Heights printing facility used by the ''Sun''. The facility opened in 1997.]]
In 1997, Kennedy Heights, the printing press for the ''Vancouver Sun'' and ''The Province'', was opened in Surrey. Later in 1997 the paper moved to [[Granville Square]]. In 2000, the newspaper was sold to [[CanWest]].<ref name=canen/>

In May 2009, the newspaper laid off long-time editorial cartoonist [[Roy Peterson]] who had been drawing for the paper since 1962.<ref>{{cite web |author=AAEC |url=http://news.editorialcartoonists.com/aaec/page/4/ |title=Association of American Editorial Cartoonists News, June 14, 2009 |publisher=News.editorialcartoonists.com |access-date=2012-12-17 |archive-date=2013-04-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130404090533/http://news.editorialcartoonists.com/aaec/page/4/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2010, the newspaper became part of the [[Postmedia Network]], as a result of the collapse of [[CanWest]]. In December 2011, after much research on the demographics of the greater [[Vancouver]] area, the newspaper launched a Chinese-language version ''[[Taiyangbao]]''<ref>{{cite news |url=https://vancouversun.com/news/Vancouver+Chinese+language+website+lures+fast+rising+ethnic+group/5839326/story.html |title=Vancouver Sun's Chinese-language website lures fast-rising ethnic group. Site includes 13 bloggers from Metro Vancouver and Asia |first=Douglas |last=Todd |newspaper=Vancouver Sun |date=December 9, 2011  |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120108081017/http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Vancouver+Chinese+language+website+lures+fast+rising+ethnic+group/5839326/story.html |archive-date=January 8, 2012}}</ref> with original Chinese language content.  According to an article broadcast on China Now on [[China Radio International]] (December 2011), the key to success was not necessarily to "translate" its English-language version into Chinese.<ref>{{citation | title=China Now, China Radio International, December 2011 broadcast}}</ref>

In January 2015, the Kennedy Heights printing press operation was shut down, resulting in 220 workers losing their jobs. Printing of the ''Vancouver Sun'' and ''The Province'' were outsourced, each to different printing press operations.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/1804526/presses-stop-at-longtime-printing-plant-for-vancouver-sun-and-province/|title=Presses stop at longtime printing plant for Vancouver Sun and Province|access-date=2017-11-22|archive-date=2017-12-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201051342/https://globalnews.ca/news/1804526/presses-stop-at-longtime-printing-plant-for-vancouver-sun-and-province/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2017, the ''Vancouver Sun'' and ''The Province'' moved to East Vancouver, to the Broadway Tech Centre.

In October 2022, the ''Vancouver Sun'' and ''The Province'' stopped printing the Monday editions.

==Content==
As a broadsheet newspaper, the ''Sun'' was not originally related to the [[Sun Media]] chain and its tabloid ''Sun'' papers in [[Toronto Sun|Toronto]], [[Ottawa Sun|Ottawa]], [[Winnipeg Sun|Winnipeg]], [[Calgary Sun|Calgary]], and [[Edmonton Sun|Edmonton]]. However, the ''Vancouver Sun'' and the tabloid ''Sun'' papers have been part of the same company since 2015, as a result of Postmedia's acquisition of Sun Media.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/postmedia-sun-media-deal-officially-closes/article23895298/|title=Postmedia-Sun Media deal officially closes|newspaper=The Globe and Mail|date=13 April 2015|last1=Bradshaw|first1=James|access-date=16 September 2017|archive-date=27 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170327222714/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/postmedia-sun-media-deal-officially-closes/article23895298/|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Editorial stances===
The newspaper was first established in 1912 to "consistently advocate the principles of Liberalism". Under the Cromie family, the newspaper typically supported the Liberals, although they were often critical as well.<ref name=canen/> Under Hollinger Inc., the newspaper was considered a [[middlebrow]] newspaper with a more socially and economically diverse readership than its competitor. While publishing under Hollinger, the ''Sun''{{'}}s editorials, op-ed articles, and guest columns were unambiguously critical of the federal Liberal government.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Opinion Discourse and Canadian Newspapers: The Case of the Chinese "Boat People"|journal=Canadian Journal of Communication|date=April 2000|issue=4|volume=25|last=Greenberg|first=Joshua|pages=517–537 |doi=10.22230/cjc.2000v25n4a1178}}</ref>

== Circulation ==
The ''Vancouver Sun'' has seen, like most [[List of newspapers in Canada#Daily newspapers|Canadian daily newspapers]], a decline in [[Newspaper circulation|circulation]]. Its total circulation dropped by {{formatnum: {{#expr: abs(100 - (136787 / 175572 * 100)) round 0}}}} percent to 136,787 copies daily from 2009 to 2015.<ref name="Circulation">{{cite web|url=https://nmc-mic.ca/about-newspapers/circulation/daily-newspapers/|title=Daily Newspaper Circulation Data|work=News Media Canada|access-date=16 December 2017|archive-date=24 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180124183155/https://nmc-mic.ca/about-newspapers/circulation/daily-newspapers/|url-status=live}}</ref>

:::::::::'''Daily average'''<ref name="Circulation Chart">{{cite web|url=https://nmc-mic.ca/about-newspapers/circulation/daily-newspapers/|title=Daily Newspaper Circulation Data|work=News Media Canada|access-date=16 December 2017|archive-date=24 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180124183155/https://nmc-mic.ca/about-newspapers/circulation/daily-newspapers/|url-status=live}} Figures refer to the total circulation (print and digital combined) which includes paid and unpaid copies.</ref>
{{ #invoke:Chart | bar chart
| height = 270
| width = 360
| group 1 = 175572:178672:169269:164507:161785:144929:136787
| colors = DarkCyan
| units suffix = Copies
| group names = 
| x legends = 2009:2010:2011:2012:2013:2014:2015
}}

== Notable staff ==
* [[Kim Bolan]], crime
* [[Hal Sigurdson]] (1966 to 1976), assistant sports editor<ref>{{cite news|title=A bit of an icon as a sports editor|last1=Prest|first1=Ashley|last2=Campbell|first2=Tim|agency=|date=January 18, 2012|newspaper=[[Winnipeg Free Press]]|location=Winnipeg, Manitoba|page=22|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-jan-18-2012-3048196/}}{{free access}}</ref>

== See also ==
{{Portal|Canada|Journalism}}
*[[List of newspapers in Canada]]
*[[List of newspapers in Canada by circulation]]
*[[Media in Vancouver]]
*[[The Vancouver Sun Classic Children's Book Collection|The ''Vancouver Sun'' Classic Children's Book Collection]]
*[[Vancouver Sun Run]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|40em}}

== External links ==
{{commonscat}}
* {{Official website}}
* [http://feeds.canada.com/canwest/F229 ''Vancouver Sun'' RSS feed]
* [http://www.vancouverhistory.ca/ History of Metropolitan Vancouver]

{{Postmedia}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vancouver Sun}}
[[Category:Newspapers published in Vancouver]]
[[Category:Postmedia Network publications]]
[[Category:Newspapers established in 1912]]
[[Category:Daily newspapers published in British Columbia]]
[[Category:1912 establishments in British Columbia]]
[[Category:Vancouver Sun people]]