Doug Creighton, 75 - founded "The Toronto Sun" newspaper chain
Allen Mark Navis
TORONTO (CP) - Doug Creighton, a veteran newspaperman who defied skeptics to
found the Toronto Sun in 1971 and build a successful chain of papers, died
Wednesday after an illness.
He was 75. Creighton, whose news career began in the mailroom of the former
Toronto Telegram in 1948, was the head of what employees called the "Sun
family." He was also its heart.
Former colleagues and longtime friends paid tribute to Creighton Wednesday
as a boss who knew his many employees by name - as well as the names of
their spouses and kids - and inspired them with his warmth, wit, charisma
and vision.
"Anyone who worked for the Sun - whether it be a day, a month, or for 10
years - loved him because he treated employees like family. He was such a
decent person," said former Toronto Sun publisher Paul Godfrey, now CEO of
the Toronto Blue Jays.
"He had a dream and he saw the dream come true - building the Sun Media
empire. At the same time he revolutionized the newspaper industry. Now they
(papers) are not just conveyers of news, but they provide entertainment.
There are going to be a lot of tears shed."
Creighton rose up from the mailroom of the Telegram to the newsroom becoming
a scrappy police reporter. He was managing editor when the Telegram folded
in 1971. A day later, the first edition of the Toronto Sun rolled off the
presses amid tears.
Critics gave the feisty tabloid 30 days. Under Creighton's leadership, the
paper became a national chain, including Suns in Edmonton, Calgary and
Ottawa.
Trudy Eagan, the Sun's former chief administrative officer, said the 20
years she worked with the man she fondly refers to as her first mentor "was
a wonderful adventure."
"When he hired me, he told me he would give me enough rope to either climb
it or hang myself," said Eagan, who took a job as Creighton's secretary in
1974. Under his guidance, she worked her way up to executive vice-president
and CAO.
"He was amazing. He always managed to get the best out of everyone," she
said.
Creighton's list of honours includes tributes from his industry, including
the Canadian Journalism Foundation and the Canadian News Hall of Fame. He
received the Order of Canada in 1992.
"The only word to accurately describe Doug Creighton is pioneer," said Prime
Minister Paul Martin Wednesday. "He had a passionate belief in Canada, and
an energetic commitment to life, politics and business. The country is a
better place because of him."
The year he received his Order of Canada was bittersweet. In Nov. 1992, the
board of directors removed Creighton as CEO of the Toronto Sun Publishing
Corp., a year before his planned retirement.
In his 1994 memoirs, Sunburned, Creighton reflected his long career at the
Sun was extinguished in just 30 seconds.
"My 21-year love affair was over," he wrote.
Creighton was bitter at his ouster, but still had a soft spot for his
newspaper and his Sun family.
A funeral service is expected to take place Saturday morning.
As a former employee of "The Toronto Sun", joining one week after the birth
of the paper in November 1971, I respected and truly loved working for Doug
and will miss him greatly.
Al Navis
Jason Quilliam
news:e28Lb.45752$1g41....@twister01.bloor.is.net.cable.rogers.com...
> As a former employee of "The Toronto Sun", joining one week after the
birth
> of the paper in November 1971, I respected and truly loved working for
Doug
> and will miss him greatly.
>
> Al Navis
>
>
I suppose you can respect the man, if not necessarily the rag he created.
All-in-all, a great Canadian...
Jason