The London Free Press is home to the largest news staff in Southwestern Ontario.
The relationship between The London Free Press and the people of London and the surrounding area is one of oldest continuing relationships in Canada – older than Confederation, in fact. The first daily edition of The London Free Press appeared in 1855.
In 2011, it’s not only still surviving, but thriving with more readers (and viewers) than ever, thanks not only to the print edition but lfpress.com and social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook.
Nearly 150,000 readers in the Southwest opened The Free Press yesterday – plus about 100,000 more again online – and 150,000 will read it tomorrow and the day after that. Why? What keeps such an old love going? Passion, trust and a commitment to each other.
Londoners have known for many decades now that there is really only one place to turn for the definitive version of what’s afoot in the city as told in Free Press stories, photos, videos, blogs . . . you get the idea.
Readers know they can count on Free Press multi-media journalists to tell the truth and nothing but – with flair. For our part, our multi-media journalists know that no relationship can be one-sided: We never take the intelligence of our readers for granted.
The Free Press believes in the city – roots for it – and puts its money where its mouth is, giving back to the place it calls home to the tune of about $1 million a year for everything from museums to Junior Achievement to breast cancer research.
The London Free Press & lfpress.com: Award-winning journalism.
Journalists working from the London newsroom make their mark often in the business, with excellence nominations and awards. Among their recent achievements:
National Newspaper Awards
- Breaking news award (2010) — the most-sought in the business — in 2010, for team coverage of the Tori Stafford abduction and slaying, led by reporter Randy Richmond.
- Beat coverage nomination (2009) for veteran justice reporter Jane Sims.
- Sports photography award (2009) for multiple nominee Derek Ruttan
Michener Award
- Canada's highest award for journalism in the public service, reporter Jonathan Sher was nominated in 2008 for groundbreaking investigative work that revealed significant health risks from lead in Ontario drinking water. Not only did the reporting put him in august company for the award bestowed by the Governor General, but it also prompted Ontario to toughen its safeguards against lead exposure in water at schools and day-cares.
Ontario Newspaper Awards
- A frequent nominee for team coverage of breaking news, from the Tori Stafford tragedy to this year’s nomination for the slaying of OPP Const. Vu Pham, Free Press and lfpress.com reporters and editors have also been honoured in recent years with awards saluting Ontario’s reporter of the year, environmental writing, feature photography and multi-media projects such as a year-long examination of the Thames River from every angle.
International Outlaw Motorcycle Gang Investigators Association
- Jane Sims, 2010, for industry-leading coverage of the Bandidos biker gang massacre
The story of our newspaper
On Jan. 2, 1849, The Canadian Free Press, a weekly newspaper with initial circulation of 500 copies, began publication under the editorship of William Sutherland.
In 1854, Josiah Blackburn moved The Free Press to Carling Street. On May 5, 1855, The London Free Press and Daily Western Advertiser made its debut. The Advertiser eventually folded in 1936, victim of a market that couldn't support two dailies.
In 1868, the Blackburns moved the company to Richmond Street, where it stayed until 1931. On May 10, 1875 subscribers were offered a new evening newspaper for sale at two cents per copy.
In 1931, the newspaper moved a few doors north on Richmond Street. In 1949 the newspaper celebrated its 100th anniversary with a 232-page edition, largest ever printed in Canada up to that time.
On July 3, 1965, The Free Press moved to 369 York Street, housing both the newspaper and a radio station owned by the Blackburn family.
When Walter J. Blackburn died at home in 1983, control of the family empire passed to his daughter, Martha. After Martha's sudden death from a heart attack in 1992, the paper was operated in trust until 1997, when Sun Media Corp. bought it.
Under its new publisher, John Paton, a Sunday edition was launched in April 1998. For the first time in more than a decade, The Free Press experienced a marked growth in circulation.
A $748-million hostile takeover bid for Sun Media by Torstar Corp. in October 1998 was thwarted by Quebecor Inc.'s $1 billion takeover bid, launched two months later.
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