Toronto Star Launches World Weekly Section

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Oct. 27, 2011) - The Toronto Star is expanding its international news coverage with a new World Weekly section with more news, special features and columns that will be included in all home-delivered copies of the Saturday Star starting Saturday, October 29.

"Foreign news is a major area of interest for our readers," said John Cruickshank, Publisher of the Toronto Star and President of Star Media Group. "At a time when many other news organizations are reducing their commitment to international news, the Star is offering our readers more news and commentary about world events than ever."

Highlighting the launch of the section is a six-week, in-depth look at developments and trends in the four biggest emerging markets in the world, known as the BRICs, namely Brazil, Russia, India and China. Over the coming weeks, Star journalists will examine how these important countries have transformed themselves in the last decade and talk to experts, both here and abroad, about what the future might hold for them.

New content and features that will run regularly in the section include:

A new column by one of the world's most distinguished news executives, Tony Burman, who is a former CBC editor-in-chief and former managing director of Al Jazeera's international English-language news channel. Burman's column will explore Canada's place in the world and the Canadian media's role within that.

Dispatches, a weekly feature looking at the stories of ordinary people around the world and their lives, from a Kashmiri rap artist to how Cairo residents cope with never-ending traffic jams.

The Good Fight, a regular feature about people making a real difference in their community, their country and their part of the world.

Quick information, questions-and-answer items and informative maps and graphics that will help readers better understand the world in which we live.

"The Star's international news and commentaries are one of the most read by our readers," said Lynn McAuley, foreign editor for the Star. "The World Weekly section is part of our continual investment in expanding our content in an effort to better serve our subscribers."

The World Weekly section will be included at no extra cost in all home-delivered copies of the Saturday Star. It will not be available in copies sold in retail outlets or newspaper boxes. Only part of the content will be available on the Star's digital and mobile platforms.

ABOUT THE TORONTO STAR

The Toronto Star, founded in 1892, is read in print and online (thestar.com) by 3.0 million readers every week. The Toronto Star is a division of Star Media Group, which includes Toronto.com, Torstar Syndication Services, The Grid, Sway Magazine and The Canadian Immigrant. Star Media Group also includes the jointly owned Metro free daily newspapers in Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Winnipeg and London, Ontario, and the Chinese language newspaper Sing Tao. Star Media Group is a division of Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, which is a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation.