David Baines leaving Vancouver Sun; Pacific Newspaper Group space up for sublease

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      A day after Postmedia Network CEO Paul Godfrey said that Vancouver Sun and Province employees were "overpaid", there's a report that some of its best-known journalists have taken buyouts.

      According to a News 1130 story, business reporters David Baines and Scott Simpson, education specialist Janet Steffenhagen, arts and life editor Maggie Langrick, and columnist Craig McInnes are among the 62 people who are leaving this week or have left.

      Baines, who exposes stock-market swindles, has won numerous awards.

      The Canadian Journalism Project has reported that former Vancouver Sun editor-in-chief Patricia Graham is also leaving. She has been Pacific Newspaper Group's vice president of digital.

      Meanwhile, Colliers International is advertising up to 24,476 square feet of space previously occupied by Pacific Newspaper Group on the sixth and seventh floors of Granville Square. 

      The sublease offer is described this way on the Colliers site:

      Fully improved premises at below market sublease rates. Sublease term to May 30, 2017 (longer term available). Mostly open area with offices, meeting rooms, kitchens and reception. Furniture may be available. Direct access to rapid transit, on-site fitness facility and conference/meeting rooms of various sizes for use by tenants.

      Comments

      10 Comments

      MarkFornataro

      Jun 12, 2013 at 1:48pm

      I feel sorry for the hard-working, talented rank-and-file journalists like Mr Baines and wish them well. Democracy suffers whenever good journalism is cut back. It's the brazen Fraser Institute editorial links/slant at the Sun and Province that are hard to stomach(and have kept me from buying their paper)- and of course the overpaid CEO who has the temerity to diss the reporters as being overpaid. Of course free on-line advertising such as Craigslist also deeply affects the bottom line of newspapers.

      Martin Dunphy

      Jun 12, 2013 at 3:53pm

      David Baines will be missed, simple as that. It's a muted death knell for the publication, but a death knell nevertheless. (I don't mean this to sound like an obituary, but...)
      His tenacity, courage (yes, it took courage to report many of the stories he worked on), research skills, and contacts were an invaluable resource for the Sun. Now they are gone.
      I was an instant fan of his when, as a journalism student many years ago, I called him at home, at night, on deadline for a project/story. (I had called another Sun reporter earlier who had angrily demanded to know how I had gotten his number. When I answered--not wanting to burn my source--that I was able to find his number "because I'm a journalist", he slammed the phone down.)
      David, although obviously preoccupied with other matters and with better things to do with his free time (including dinner waiting), made time for a student's assignment and politely and thoughtfully answered all my questions while his young child screamed and practised karate chops on his legs nonstop throughout the entire interview.
      All the best in future endeavours.

      James Blatchford

      Jun 12, 2013 at 11:25pm

      This is a loss....precious few reasons to buy The Sun now. Mr. Baines never ran out of shady operators to write about, and I can only imagine what he might have written if he could get it by his editors, and or, legal department.

      Unfortunately, it is a happy day on Howe Street.

      Anonymous2

      Jun 13, 2013 at 10:05am

      Having witnessed his questionable tactics and methods with numerous legitimate business people whose good names have been brought into question, in my opinion David Baines will NOT be missed at all. On many occasions, his investigative techniques consisted of merely commenting on Securities Commision findings (letting them do all the work), or badgering people for comments that would then be taken out of context or eliminated entirely if they did not match Mr Baines agenda. A lazy reporter, in my opinion who was quick to take credit, his zealous perspective didn't allow for the truth to come forward. Good riddance, Mr Baines!

      Martin Dunphy

      Jun 13, 2013 at 11:09am

      Anonymous2:

      So, did you do a stretch in prison or were you just banned from trading?

      USAOBC1

      Jun 13, 2013 at 4:14pm

      Mr. Baines will be missed by all to include my colleagues at the BCSC and ASC.

      jim g

      Jun 15, 2013 at 7:23am

      ALLTOUGH I DISAGREED WITH DAVID HE WAS THE ONLY

      REASON I BOUGHT THE SUN. HIS ARTICLES WILL BE MISSED

      BY ME & MANY OTHERS (BOTH PRO & CON)

      B Barttle

      Jun 15, 2013 at 6:43pm

      This is a huge loss for the stockholder and a huge win for Howe str.
      promoters. !! Van Sun should be ashamed to lose the talent.

      Mavis Radler

      Jun 16, 2013 at 11:23pm

      I stopped reading the Sun, the Province, The Glib and Pale, and the Notional Pest a long long time ago due to weak journalism and slanted editorial
      I suggest readers to give the Tyee a read.
      and of course the GS which you are reading if you are reading this.

      Thomas Folkestone

      Aug 18, 2013 at 12:43pm

      Yes, other than The Straight, try thetyee.ca, rabble.ca, and sometimes even cbc.ca.

      The Vancouver Stun and its sister tabloid are irrelevant propoganda whose editors come from the Fraser Institute; if you like what they print may as well go straight to the Fraser Institute website and read their "studies". Oh yeah, and Tom "kiddie porn hurts no one" Flanagan is a board member at the Fraser Insitute, so you know you're getting quality "research".