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FYI

Paul Godfrey's $1.7M Job Is 'Hard And Full Of Heartache'

The Postmedia chairman is likely the most vilified man in Canadian journalism these days, but if being the hatchet man is what's needed, Paul's willing to wield it if it means keeping the dream alive.

Paul Godfrey's $1.7M Job Is 'Hard And Full Of Heartache'

By External Source

You’ve taken flak for cutting thousands of jobs across the Postmedia newspaper empire, including some 800 full-time positions in 2016 alone, while taking home an annual salary of roughly $1.7 million. Is that criticism fair?
No. The board knew my track record and asking price. Plus, there are not many people in Canada who can run a newspaper chain. Look around. The Star can’t find a publisher or president. The job is hard and full of heartache.


Last fall, as many of your employees were being denied cost-of-living wage increases, you accepted a $900,000 retention bonus. How did you explain that series of events to them?
No one asked. If they had, I’d have told them that we did a global search for investors and only one company, Chatham Asset Management, stepped forward. They handed over $100 million but first wanted assurances that key employees, me included, would stay. Did I feel awkward about the bonus? Yes. But how would staff feel if we shut down and there were no severance deals at all?

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The optics were not ideal.
I agree. The optics weren’t pretty. When I walk past my staff now, they probably whisper, “There’s that evil guy.” But they don’t understand the full picture.

– to continue reading the Q&A with Postmedia Chair Paul Godfrey link to Toronto Life here

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Sukha
YouTube

Sukha

Chart Beat

'8 Asle' By Punjabi-Canadian Artists Sukha & Chani Nattan Among YouTube's Most Popular Songs in Canada in 2024

The sleek track, which features Gurlez Akhtar, caps off a list that also features Benson Boone, Sabrina Carpenter, and Kendrick Lamar's Drake diss "Not Like Us."

YouTube has revealed the biggest songs of the year in Canada on the platform, and for the second year in a row, Punjabi music is leading the way for Canadians on the list.

"8 Asle" by Toronto-based Punjabi artist Sukha comes in at No. 10 on the list, with 104 million views. The track features singer Gurlez Akhtar and was written by Punjabi-Canadian lyricist Chani Nattan. Nattan signed with 91 North earlier this year, the joint venture between Warner Music Canada and Warner Music India to support South Asian artists, which is clearly showing results.

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