Andy McSmith is a freelance English journalist.
108-583: He was a journalist at The Independent newspaper from April 2007 to April 2016, having previously been political correspondent on the same paper, and political editor of the Independent on Sunday (same newspaper) and chief political correspondent of The Daily Telegraph and The Observer (part of the Guardian stable). In 1993 he was sacked by the Daily Mirror and Labour Party MPs raised his dismissal in
216-463: A "proudly liberal newspaper". The paper has highlighted what it refers to as war crimes being committed by pro-government forces in the Darfur region of Sudan. The paper has been a strong supporter of electoral reform . In 1997, The Independent on Sunday launched a campaign for the decriminalisation of cannabis. Ten years later, it reversed itself, arguing that skunk, the cannabis strain "smoked by
324-508: A "viewspaper", saying it "was started as an antidote to the idea of journalism as views not news. That was why it was called the Independent. Today it is avowedly a viewspaper not merely a newspaper". The Independent criticised Blair's comments the following day; it later changed format to include a "Viewspaper" insert in the centre of the regular newspaper, designed to feature most of the opinion columns and arts reviews. A leader published on
432-416: A bloodless, value-free news-sheet. We have always been committed to social justice", but the paper recognised that it was up the readers to "make up [their] own mind about whether you agree with us or not". Rather than support a particular party, the paper urged all its reader to vote as "a responsibility of common citizenship". On 4 May 2015, the weekday version of The Independent said that a continuation of
540-548: A brewing conglomerate that had earlier absorbed Winnipeg Breweries, which he had inherited from his father George Montegu Black Sr. Conrad Black's mother was the former Jean Elizabeth Riley, a daughter of Conrad Stephenson Riley, whose father founded The Great-West Life Assurance Company , and a great-granddaughter of an early co-owner of The Daily Telegraph . His father was a shareholder in The Daily Telegraph . Biographer George Tombs said of Black's motivations: "He
648-678: A conviction for felony fraud and obstruction of justice was upheld in 2010 and he was re-sentenced to 42 months in prison and a fine of $ 125,000. In 2019, President Donald Trump granted him a federal pardon . Black is a longtime columnist and author, and has written a column for the National Post since he founded it in 1998. He has written eleven books, mostly in the fields of Canadian and American history, including biographies of Quebec premier Maurice Duplessis and US presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt , Richard Nixon and Donald Trump, as well as two memoirs. He has also hosted two interview shows on
756-518: A copy of the Leader of the Opposition's tax returns, [and] gossip from bishops", as well as historically significant letters from Cardinal Jean-Marie-Rodrigue Villeneuve and Paul-Émile Léger , Governor General Field Marshal Alexander, Lord Beaverbrook, Canadian and French Prime Ministers and Eminent Canadian and American finance ministers side-by-side with hand-written, ungrammatical requests for jobs with
864-469: A dispensation to receive the sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church, from Cardinals Léger and Carter, starting in 1974. Black developed a close friendship with Cardinal Carter and relied on him as a spiritual advisor. On Carter's death, Black wrote: In the 25 years I knew him, his judgment and personality were always sober but never solemn; and never, not at his most beleaguered and not on
972-455: A fine of US$ 125,000. Appeals resulted in two of Black's three criminal fraud charges being vacated, and his conviction for obstruction of justice was upheld. Black was initially found guilty of diverting funds for personal benefit from money due to Hollinger International, and of other irregularities. The embezzlement occurred when the company sold certain publishing assets. He was also found guilty of one charge of obstruction of justice. In
1080-540: A future renowned foreign correspondent for The Globe and Mail and later the editor of Saturday Night , that the place felt like a concentration camp, but most of the students were oblivious to the harsh reality. During this time, at the age of eight, he invested his life savings of $ 60 in one share of General Motors . Six years later, he was expelled from UCC for selling stolen exam papers. He then attended Trinity College School in Port Hope, where he lasted less than
1188-453: A large block of personal assets. He brought in new partners to replace Mrs. McDougal and her sister Mrs. W. Eric Philips. Some of the Argus assets were already troubled, and others did not fit Black's long-term vision. Black resigned as Chairman of Massey Ferguson company on 23 May 1980, after which Argus donated its shares to the employees' pension funds, both salaried and union. Hollinger Mines
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#17328812450901296-655: A large stake in Noranda Mines. Black succeeded his father as a director of Dominion Stores and Standard Broadcasting, owner of radio stations CFRB (Toronto) and CJAD (Montreal), and television station CJOH ( Ottawa ). Conrad Black became a director of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce in 1977. Through his father's position at Canadian Breweries, and his status as a co-founder of Ravelston, Black gained early association with two of Canada's most prominent businessmen: John A. "Bud" McDougald and E. P. Taylor ,
1404-554: A law degree at Université Laval , and in 1973 completed a Master of Arts degree in history at McGill University . Black's thesis at McGill would become the first half of his first book on Quebec premier Maurice Duplessis . Black had been granted access to Duplessis' papers, housed in Duplessis' former residence in Trois-Rivières , which included "figures from the famous Union Nationale caisse électorale (the party war chest ),
1512-463: A life of opulence. Black has always denied that he spent more than his income and position justified. He has called claims that his wife charged personal expenses to a corporate account, including US$ 2,463 ( £ 1,272) for handbags, $ 2,785 for opera tickets, and $ 140 for Amiel's "jogging attire" fiction and has pointed out that they were never alleged at trial. Black was ranked 238th wealthiest in Britain by
1620-550: A long-term partnership with the Saudi Research & Media Group, who operate under license the Independent Arabia, Independent Turkish, Independent Persian and Independent Urdu language editions. In September 2020, The Independent launched Independent en Espanol, a wholly owned and operated Spanish language edition. The Independent began publishing as a broadsheet, in a series of celebrated designs. The final version
1728-617: A luxury Park Avenue apartment in New York. When the latter was sold in 2005, the US Department of Justice seized net proceeds of $ 8.5 million, pending resolution of court actions. His London townhouse in Kensington sold in 2005 for about US$ 25 million. His Palm Beach mansion was listed for sale in 2004 at $ 36 million. In late April 2011, this Florida property was also sold by Black for about US$ 30 million. The Black family estate
1836-588: A more European feel, similar to France's Libération . The redesign was carried out by a Barcelona-based design studio. The weekday second section was subsumed within the main paper, double-page feature articles became common in the main news sections, and there were revisions to the front and back covers. A new second section, "Extra", was introduced on 25 April 2006. It is similar to The Guardian ' s "G2" and The Times ' s "Times2", containing features, reportage and games, including sudoku . In June 2007, The Independent on Sunday consolidated its content into
1944-541: A motion in the House of Commons . He is the author of seven books: biographies of longtime Conservative politician Kenneth Clarke and former Labour leader John Smith , a collection of short biographies called Faces of Labour: The Inside Story (1996), No Such Thing as Society: A History of Britain in the 1980s , Fear and the Muse Kept Watch (2015) about the great writers and artists who lived under Stalin 's rule in
2052-448: A new look, better access to the blog service, priority on image and video content, and additional areas of the site including art, architecture, fashion, gadgets and health. The paper launched podcast programmes such as "The Independent Music Radio Show", "The Independent Travel Guides", "The Independent Sailing Podcasts", and "The Independent Video Travel Guides". Since 2009, the website has carried short video news bulletins provided by
2160-517: A new pullout "Viewspaper" section, which contained the paper's comment and feature articles. Following the 2003 switch in format, The Independent became known for its unorthodox and campaigning front pages, which frequently relied on images, graphics or lists rather than traditional headlines and written news content. For example, following the Kashmir earthquake in 2005, it used its front page to urge its readers to donate to its appeal fund, and following
2268-466: A news section which included sports and business, and a magazine focusing on life and culture. On 23 September 2008, the main newspaper became full-colour, and "Extra" was replaced by an "Independent Life Supplement" focusing on different themes each day. Three weeks after the acquisition of the paper by Alexander Lebedev and Evgeny Lebedev in 2010, the paper was relaunched with another redesign on 20 April. The new format featured smaller headlines and
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#17328812450902376-578: A non-compete payment that was approved by the independent director and publicly disclosed, but where the company secretary had neglected, in what the trial judge considered to be a clerical oversight, to have signed by the parties. Black co-hosted a weekly talk show, The Zoomer , which premiered 7 October 2013 on VisionTV in Canada, and ran for two years. He interviewed Donald Trump , Boris Johnson , and Justin Trudeau who went on respectively to be President of
2484-450: A quarter of a million. On 14 May 2004, The Independent produced its last weekday broadsheet, having stopped producing a Saturday broadsheet edition in January. The Independent on Sunday published its last simultaneous broadsheet on 9 October 2005, and thereafter followed a compact design until the print edition was discontinued. On 12 April 2005, The Independent redesigned its layout to
2592-570: A reported $ 300 million profit. He subsequently complained about Australia's "capricious and politicized foreign ownership rules". Hollinger had bought a 23% stake in the Southam newspaper chain in 1992 from TORSTAR, publisher of the Toronto Star . Black and Radler acquired the Chicago Sun-Times in 1994. Hollinger International shares were listed on New York Stock Exchange in 1996, at which time
2700-597: A result of a limited promotional budget. Marr admitted his changes had been a mistake in his book, My Trade . The newspaper was owned by Tony O'Reilly 's Irish Independent News & Media from 1997 until it was sold to Alexander Lebedev in 2010. Boycott left in April 1998 to join the Daily Express , and Marr left in May 1998, later becoming the BBC 's political editor. Simon Kelner
2808-439: A result of controversy around Murdoch's move to Wapping, the plant was effectively having to function under siege from sacked print workers picketing outside. The Independent attracted some of the staff from the two Murdoch broadsheets who had chosen not to move to his company's new headquarters. Launched with the advertising slogan "It is. Are you?", and challenging both The Guardian for centre-left readers and The Times as
2916-428: A robust spirit" and "chic, humorous and preternaturally sexy". Courtroom evidence revealed that the couple exchanged over 11,000 emails. "My family", Black wrote in 2009, "was divided between atheism and agnosticism , and I followed rather unthinkingly and inactively in those paths into my twenties." By his early thirties he "no longer had any confidence in the non-existence of God". Thereafter, he "approached Rome at
3024-543: A snail's pace", and began to study the writings of Roman Catholic thinkers such as St. Augustine , Thomas Aquinas , Cardinal Newman , and Jacques Maritain . Having accepted the possibility of miracles and thus of the Resurrection of Christ , Black was received into the Roman Catholic Church on 18 June 1986 by Gerald Emmett Cardinal Carter , Archbishop of Toronto , at the cardinal 's official residence. He had
3132-418: A total of CA$ 3 billion, a total that included millions of dollars in "non-compete agreements" for Hollinger insiders. Institutional investor Tweedy, Browne opposed the payment of non-compete fees to Hollinger management in connection with the sales and requested on the day before the annual meeting in May 2003 that a special committee be appointed to look into the compensation of management. Black agreed to
3240-455: A year, being expelled for insubordinate behaviour . Successfully completing the year as an extramural student, Black transferred to Thornton Hall, a private school in Toronto. Black continued his post-secondary education at Carleton University . He attended Toronto's Osgoode Hall Law School of York University , but his studies ended after he failed his first year exams. In 1970, he completed
3348-499: Is a British online newspaper . It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the Indy , it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was published on Saturday 26 March 2016, leaving only the online edition. The daily edition was named National Newspaper of the Year at the 2004 British Press Awards . The Independent won
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3456-477: Is a Canadian-British politician, newspaper publisher , businessman, and writer. Black's father was businessman George Montegu Black II , who had significant holdings in Canadian manufacturing, retail and media businesses through part-ownership of the holding company Ravelston Corporation . In 1978, two years after their father's death, Conrad and his older brother Montegu took majority control of Ravelston. Over
3564-692: Is a commentator on two weekly national radio segments in the United States, and writes columns on online sites including National Review , RealClearPolitics , The Epoch Times , and American Greatness in addition to his weekly column in the National Post . Born to a wealthy family, Black inherited the family home and 7 acres (2.8 ha) of land in Toronto's exclusive Bridle Path neighbourhood after his parents' deaths in 1976. Black and first wife Joanna Hishon maintained homes in Palm Beach, Toronto and London. After he married Barbara Amiel, he acquired
3672-631: Is published under license, and owned and managed by Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG), a major publishing organization with close ties to the Saudi royal family. In the 2024 United Kingdom general election , The Independent endorsed the Labour Party , although added what it termed as a warning that: “Labour must turn its promises into policies that benefit the hardworking and hopeful people of this country”. The Independent : The Independent on Sunday : There have also been various guest editors over
3780-689: The Sunday Times Rich List (2003), with an estimated wealth of £136m. Having departed the country, he was dropped from the 2004 list. Black is a former Steering Committee member of the Bilderberg Group . Black was convicted on three counts of fraud and one count of obstruction of justice in US District Court in Chicago on 13 July 2007. He was sentenced to serve 6½ years in federal prison and to pay Hollinger $ 6.1 million, in addition to
3888-551: The Al Jazeera English news channel. From 2009, the website started carrying short video news bulletins provided by the al Jazeera English news channel. Over the years this developed to the point that the website regularly featured video content in its news reports. Some of this was syndicated and sourced from other news channels and providers, but The Independent gradually increased numbers in its own video team. In addition to putting together short-form video news reports,
3996-508: The Brexit referendum . In March 2016, The Independent decided to close its print edition and become an online newspaper ; the last printed edition was published on Saturday 26 March 2016. The Independent on Sunday published its last print edition on 20 March 2016 and was closed following that. In 2017, Sultan Muhammad Abuljadayel bought a 30% stake in The Independent . Geordie Greig
4104-717: The Ravelston Corporation by the Black family in 1969, Black, together with friends David Radler and Peter G. White, purchased and operated the Sherbrooke Record , the small English-language daily in Sherbrooke , Quebec. In 1971, the three formed Sterling Newspapers Limited, a holding company that acquired several other small Canadian regional daily and weekly newspapers, including the Prince Rupert Daily News and
4212-607: The Soviet Union , and a novel, Innocent in the House . He has also contributed to many other books. His play, One Bummer News Day , set in a newspaper office, was broadcast as part of the Play for Today series. He lives in London . This article about an English writer, poet or playwright is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . The Independent The Independent
4320-698: The Summerside, Prince Edward Island , Journal Pioneer . George Black died in June 1976, ten days after his wife, leaving Conrad Black and his older brother, Montegu, a 22.4% stake in Ravelston Corporation, which by then owned 61% voting control of Argus Corporation , an influential holding company in Canada. Argus controlled large stakes in five Canadian corporations: Hollinger Mines , Standard Broadcasting , Dominion Stores , Domtar and Massey Ferguson . Hollinger controlled Labrador Mining and Exploration and had
4428-604: The i , a compact sister newspaper, was launched. The i is a separate newspaper but uses some of the same material. It was later sold to regional newspaper company Johnston Press , becoming that publisher's flagship national newspaper. The online news site indy100 was announced by The Independent in February 2016, to be written by journalists but with stories selected by 'upvotes' from readers. The Independent supported U2 lead singer Bono's Product RED brand by creating The (RED) Independent , an occasional edition that gave half
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4536-581: The 7th Circuit to review all four of Black's convictions including the obstruction of justice charge, finding that the definition of honest services fraud used in Judge St. Eve's (the trial judge) charge to the jury in Black's case was too broad, "unconstitutionally vague", ruling the law could apply only to cases where bribes and kickbacks had changed hands and ordered the US 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago to review three fraud convictions against Black in light of
4644-564: The Brand of the Year Award in The Drum Awards for Online Media 2023. Launched in 1986, the first issue of The Independent was published on 7 October in broadsheet format. It was produced by Newspaper Publishing plc and created by Andreas Whittam Smith , Stephen Glover and Matthew Symonds . All three partners were former journalists at The Daily Telegraph who had left the paper towards
4752-545: The British press was "unduly besotted" with the Royal Family and that a newspaper could "manage without" stories about the monarchy. In 2007, Alan Rusbridger , editor of The Guardian , said of The Independent : "The emphasis on views, not news, means that the reporting is rather thin, and it loses impact on the front page the more you do that". In a 12 June 2007 speech, British Prime Minister Tony Blair called The Independent
4860-501: The Canadian cable network VisionTV . A political conservative, he belonged to the UK's Conservative Party , but also has some idiosyncratic views, including his support for Roosevelt's New Deal . Black was born in Montreal , Quebec, to a family originally from Winnipeg , Manitoba. His father, George Montegu Black Jr. , a chartered accountant , was the president of Canadian Breweries Limited ,
4968-529: The Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition after the general election would be a positive outcome. At the end of July 2018, The Independent led a campaign they called the "Final Say", a change.org petition by former editor Christian Broughton , for a binding referendum on the Brexit deal between the UK and the European Union. As of October 2018, Independent Arabia was launched. It
5076-545: The Quebec Liquor Board, unpaid bills, the returns of his ministers who were cheating on their taxes, a number of scribbled notes for Assembly speeches, tidbits of political espionage, compromising photographs, [and] a ledger listing the political contributions of every tavern-keeper in the province. Black subsequently had the principal items from the papers copied and microfilmed, and he donated copies to McGill , York , and Windsor universities. Black's first marriage
5184-674: The SEC. The 6½ year sentence was reduced to 3½ years. The $ 6.1 million fine to the SEC was reduced to $ 4.1 million in 2013. The Supreme Court of the United States heard an appeal of his case on 8 December 2009 and rendered a decision in June 2010. Black's application for bail was rejected by both the Supreme Court and the US District Court judge who sentenced him. On 24 June 2010, the US Supreme Court ruled 8–0 with one recusal, instructing
5292-548: The Sunday paper retained a largely distinct editorial staff. In the 1990s, The Independent was faced with price cutting by the Murdoch titles, and started an advertising campaign accusing The Times and The Daily Telegraph of reflecting the views of their proprietors, Rupert Murdoch and Conrad Black . It featured spoofs of the other papers' mastheads with the words The Rupert Murdoch or The Conrad Black , with The Independent below
5400-621: The Supreme Court's new definition. The Court reviewed Black's case and determined whether his fraud convictions stood or if there should be a new trial. The Supreme Court of the United States upheld the jailed former media baron's obstruction-of-justice conviction, for which he was serving a concurrent 6½-year sentence. Black's lawyers filed an application for bail pending the appeals court's review. Prosecutors contested Black's bail request, saying in court papers that Black's trial jury had proof that Black committed fraud. The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals granted bail on 19 July 2010 under which Black
5508-454: The US and also that two of the smaller transactions involving non-compete payments had not been signed by the vendors. Breeden involved the US Attorney in Chicago, and Radler, after about 18 months, would promise to plead guilty to one count of fraud and to provide evidence against Black and others in exchange for a light sentence in Canada. Black made an agreement with Breeden, shortly after
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#17328812450905616-509: The United States, British prime minister, and Prime Minister of Canada; and also interviewed Nigel Farage , leader of the UK Independence Party . From January 2015 through 2016, Black hosted Conversations with Conrad , a series on VisionTV in which Black conducted long-form one-on-one interviews with notable figures such as Margaret Atwood , Brian Mulroney , Rick Mercer , Barry Humphries and Michael Coren . As of June 2020, Black
5724-593: The United States. Black is also a major shareholder in The Catholic Herald , and was the vice-president of Léger's charity from 1972 to 1990. Black became involved in a number of businesses, mainly publishing newspapers, starting when he was still in university. In 1966, Black bought his first newspaper, the Eastern Townships Advertiser in Quebec. Following the foundation as an investment vehicle of
5832-665: The Western World. In 1991, the Telegraph Group acquired a 25 percent stake in John Fairfax Holdings , an Australian media company which published the Sydney Morning Herald , The Age and The Australian Financial Review . Foreign-ownership laws prevented Black from acquiring a majority stake, but he had effective control of the company. He sold his share to a New Zealand investment firm in 1996 for $ 513 million,
5940-534: The ailing Telegraph Group (London, U.K.), and Black was able to gain control of the Group for £30 million. By this investment, Black made his first entry into British press ownership. Five years later, he bought The Jerusalem Post , and by 1990, his companies ran over 400 newspaper titles in North America, the majority of them small community papers. For a time from this date he headed the third-largest newspaper group in
6048-476: The app, and on Smart TV. In March 2023 The Independent released The Body in the Woods, a feature-length documentary by its Chief International Correspondent, Bel Trew. In 2014, The Independent launched a sister website, i100 , a "shareable" journalism site with similarities to Reddit and Upworthy . The Independent is generally described as centrist , centre-left , liberal , and liberal-left . When
6156-516: The board since 1995 and formerly a key figure at The Sunday Times , replaced Hopkins as head of Independent News & Media in July 2002. By mid-2004, the newspaper was losing £5 million per year. A gradual improvement meant that by 2006, circulation was at a nine-year high. In November 2008, following further staff cuts, production was moved to Northcliffe House, in Kensington High Street,
6264-537: The company boosted its stake in Southam to a control position. Becoming a public company trading in the US has been called "a fateful move, exposing Black's empire to America's more rigorous regulatory regime and its more aggressive institutional shareholders". Hollinger acquired the Calgary Herald as part of the Southam Inc. purchase in 1996. Cuts and downsizing followed, as well as “editorial directions … to slant
6372-623: The day of the 2008 London mayoral election compared the candidates and said that, if the newspaper had a vote, it would vote first for the Green Party candidate, Siân Berry , noting the similarity between her priorities and those of The Independent , and secondly, with "rather heavy heart", for the incumbent, Ken Livingstone . An Ipsos MORI poll estimated that in the 2010 United Kingdom general election , 44% of regular readers voted Liberal Democrat , 32% voted Labour , and 14% voted Conservative , compared to 23%, 29%, and 36%, respectively, of
6480-429: The day's proceeds to the charity. The first edition was in May 2006. Edited by Bono, it drew high sales. A September 2006 edition of The (RED) Independent , designed by fashion designer Giorgio Armani , drew controversy due to its cover shot, showing model Kate Moss in blackface for an article about AIDS in Africa. Conrad Black Conrad Moffat Black, Baron Black of Crossharbour (born 25 August 1944),
6588-454: The demand but citing such fees was standard procedure in the newspaper industry and had been requested by buyers and had been properly disclosed. The special committee and its counsel, former chairman of the SEC Richard C. Breeden , discovered that David Radler had misled the Hollinger directors, including Black, about the extent of his own participation in some of the related party transactions to sell otherwise unclaimed community newspapers in
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#17328812450906696-421: The employer (Dominion Stores Ltd.), as the shareholders would have to pay for any shortfall if the assets had been less successfully invested. The Dominion employees' union the United Food and Commercial Workers protested, a public outcry ensued, and the case went to court. The Supreme Court of Ontario ruled against the company, and ordered the company to return the money to the pension fund, claiming that though
6804-467: The end of Lord Hartwell 's ownership. Marcus Sieff was the first chairman of Newspaper Publishing, and Whittam Smith took control of the paper. The paper was created at a time of a fundamental change in British newspaper publishing. Rupert Murdoch was challenging long-accepted practices of the print unions and ultimately defeated them in the Wapping dispute . Consequently, production costs could be reduced which created openings for more competition. As
6912-413: The first two presidents of Argus. Following McDougald's death in 1978, Black paid $ 18 million to McDougald's widow and her sister for control of Ravelston and thereby, control of Toronto-based Argus. Interviews with the two sisters in their retirement homes in Florida were aired 21 September 1980 in the episode of the CBC 's The Canadian Establishment , entitled "Ten Toronto Street". This episode covered
7020-424: The headquarters of Associated Newspapers . The two newspaper groups' editorial, management and commercial operations remained separate, but they shared services including security, information technology, switchboard and payroll. On 25 March 2010, Independent News & Media sold the newspaper to a new company owned by the family of Russian oligarch Alexander Lebedev for a nominal £1 fee and £9.25 million over
7128-405: The initial verdict, Black was fined $ 125,000 and sentenced to 6½ years in prison, serving a total of 37 months after two fraud charges were overturned by the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit , leaving one fraud charge and one obstruction of justice charge, and the improper receipt of $ 285,000, which was disclosed and approved but incompletely documented, and civil penalties from
7236-436: The investigation of Black and his associates climbed to US$ 200 million. Black claims a significant portion of the sums paid by Hollinger International went to Richard C. Breeden. Black himself incurred large legal fees. Black resigned from the board of Hollinger in 2005, and many of Hollinger International's assets ended up being sold at prices significantly lower than those contemplated in uncompleted negotiations while Black
7344-488: The main title. Newspaper Publishing had financial problems. A number of other media companies were interested in the paper. Tony O'Reilly 's media group and Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) had bought a stake of about a third each by mid-1994. In March 1995, Newspaper Publishing was restructured with a rights issue, splitting the shareholding into O'Reilly's Independent News & Media (43%), MGN (43%), and Prisa (publisher of El País ) (12%). In April 1996, there
7452-458: The majority of young Britons" in 2007, had become "25 times stronger than resin sold a decade ago". The paper's opinion on the British monarchy has sometimes been described as republican , though it officially identifies as reformist, wishing for a reformed monarchy that "reflects the nation over which it reigns and which is accountable to the people for its activities". Originally, it avoided royal stories, Whittam Smith later saying he thought
7560-402: The matter. Black was under no compulsion to make this disclosure as he had initiated the appeal for a bail variation of his own volition. His next court appearance, where he might reapply for permission to return to Canada, was set for 20 September 2010. On 28 October 2010, the US 7th Circuit Court of Appeals confirmed the dismissal of two of the three vacated fraud accounts and retained one and
7668-407: The most recent language in the plan suggested the employer had ownership of the surplus, the original intention was to keep the surplus in the plan to increase members' benefits. Eventually, the pension dispute was settled in equal shares between the shareholders and the plan members. Over time, Black focused the formerly diverse activities of his companies on newspaper publishing. Argus Corporation
7776-466: The newspaper of record, The Independent reached a circulation of more than 400,000 by 1989. When The Independent launched The Independent on Sunday in 1990, sales were less than anticipated, partly due to the launch of the Sunday Correspondent four months prior, although this direct rival closed at the end of November 1990. Some aspects of production merged with the main paper, although
7884-560: The news”. In response, Calgary Herald newsroom staff unionized in 1998, and in 1999–2000, went on strike. In one interaction with a strike leader, Black characterized his own approach to the labour dispute as “amputating gangrenous limbs.” Under Black, Hollinger launched the National Post in Toronto in 1998. This newspaper was sold throughout the country in direct competition with The Globe and Mail . From 1999 to 2000, Hollinger International sold several newspapers in five deals worth
7992-547: The next 10 months, choosing this option over closing The Independent and The Independent on Sunday , which would have cost £28 million and £40 million respectively, due to long-term contracts. Alexander's son Evgeny became chairman of the new company, with Alexander becoming a board director. In 2009, Lebedev had bought a controlling stake in the Evening Standard . Two weeks later, editor Roger Alton resigned. In July 2011, The Independent ' s columnist Johann Hari
8100-440: The next seven years, Conrad Black sold off most of their non-media holdings to focus on newspaper publishing. He controlled Hollinger International , once the world's third-largest English-language newspaper empire, which published The Daily Telegraph (UK), Chicago Sun-Times (US), The Jerusalem Post (Israel), National Post (Canada), and hundreds of community newspapers in North America, before controversy erupted over
8208-470: The obstruction count. The court ruled that he must be re-sentenced. On 17 December 2010, Black lost an appeal as to fact and law on his remaining convictions for fraud and obstruction of justice. The three judge panel did not explain its reasoning. On 31 May 2011, the Supreme Court of the United States declined to hear an appeal from the circuit court's decision, also without comment. The re-sentencing on
8316-617: The overall electorate. On the eve of the 2010 general election, The Independent supported the Liberal Democrats, arguing that "they are longstanding and convincing champions of civil liberties, sound economics, international co-operation on the great global challenges and, of course, fundamental electoral reform. These are all principles that this newspaper has long held dear." Before the 2015 United Kingdom general election , The Independent on Sunday desisted from advising its readers how to vote, writing that "this does not mean that we are
8424-497: The paper was established in 1986, the founders intended its political stance to reflect the centre of the British political spectrum and thought that it would attract readers primarily from The Times and The Daily Telegraph . It has been seen as leaning to the left-wing of the political spectrum, making it more a competitor to The Guardian ; however, The Independent tends to take a liberal, pro-market stance on economic issues. The Independent on Sunday referred to itself as
8532-495: The paper was produced in both broadsheet and tabloid-sized versions, with the same content in each. The tabloid edition was termed "compact" to distance itself from the more sensationalist reporting style usually associated with "tabloid" newspapers in the UK, preferring to remain focused on hard news (similarly to the tabloid-size edition of The Times . ) After launching in the London area and then in North West England ,
8640-485: The period during which Conrad Black became president of Argus Corporation following the death of McDougald. Black's new associate, Nelson M. Davis became chairman. Patrick Watson , the host and narrator of series interviewed the two widows in their Florida retirement homes. Black recorded that the widows "understood and approved every letter of every word of the agreement". Other observers admired Black for marshaling enough investor support to win control without committing
8748-591: The publication of the Hutton Report into the death of British government scientist David Kelly , its front page simply carried the word "Whitewash?" In 2003, the paper's editor, Simon Kelner, was named "Editor of the Year" at the What the Papers Say awards, partly in recognition of, according to the judges, his "often arresting and imaginative front-page designs". In 2008, as he was stepping down as editor, he stated that it
8856-508: The sale of some of the company's assets. Black was granted a life peerage in 2001 and gave up his Canadian citizenship to accept the title in light of the Nickle Resolution , which bans British honours for Canadian citizens. He regained his Canadian citizenship in 2023. In 2007, Black was convicted on four counts of fraud in a United States district court in Chicago. While two of the criminal fraud charges were overturned on appeal,
8964-534: The scandal unfavourably with the reaction of American newspapers to similar incidents such as the Jayson Blair case, which led to resignations of editors, "deep soul-searching", and "new standards of exactitude being imposed". The historian Guy Walters suggested that Hari's fabrications had been an open secret among the newspaper's staff and that their internal inquiry was a "facesaving exercise". The Independent and The Independent on Sunday endorsed "Remain" in
9072-402: The smaller format appeared gradually throughout the UK. Soon afterwards, Rupert Murdoch's Times followed suit, introducing its own tabloid-sized version. Prior to these changes, The Independent had a daily circulation of around 217,500, the lowest of any major national British daily, a figure that climbed by 15% as of March 2004 (to 250,000). Throughout much of 2006, circulation stagnated at
9180-412: The two remaining counts by the original trial judge occurred on 24 June 2011. Black's lawyers recommended he be sentenced to the 29 months he had already served while the prosecution argued for Black to complete his original 6½ year sentence. The probation officer's report recommended a sentence of between 33 and 41 months. At the hearing, Judge St. Eve re-sentenced Black to a reduced term of 42 months and
9288-465: The unsigned status of the two non-compete agreements came to light, by which he would remain as chairman, but temporarily vacate the position of chief executive, pending verification that he, Black, had known nothing of these problems, which were handled by the company's counsel, and occurred in Radler's American Publishing division. Black and Breeden were in negotiations, sponsored by Henry A. Kissinger , who
9396-624: The verge of death, did he show a trace of despair. He was intellectual but practical, spiritual but not sanctimonious or utopian, proud but never arrogant. He must have had faults, but I never detected any. He was a great man, yet the salt of the earth. In 2001, Black was invested as a Knight Commander of the Order of St. Gregory the Great , a Papal order of chivalry awarded by Pope John Paul II and delivered by Cardinals Carter and Aloysius Ambrozic . He has written that his faith helped him endure his imprisonment in
9504-416: The website soon began producing its own video and podcast series, including explainers, short documentary ‘on the ground’ style reports, and lifestyle and culture videos, including since 2017 the award-nominated series Millennial Love, later rebranded Love Lives. In late 2020 The Independent launched Independent TV, which saw the title’s video offering provided on many formats including on the web browser, in
9612-455: The years, such as Elton John on 1 December 2010, The Body Shop 's Anita Roddick on 19 June 2003 and U2 's Bono in 2006. The Independent sponsors the Longford Prize , in memory of Lord Longford . The Independent on Sunday ( IoS ) was the Sunday sister newspaper of The Independent . It ceased to exist in 2016, the last edition being published on 20 March. In October 2010,
9720-449: Was "one of the greatest natural athletes I have known", and that though "generally more sociable than I was, he was never a cad or even inconstant, or ever an ungenerous friend or less than a gentleman". The Black family maintains a family plot at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto where Black's parents and brother are buried along with his good friend and his wife's former husband, journalist, poet and broadcaster, George Jonas . Black
9828-598: Was a director of Hollinger, when the special committee, without warning, sued Black and others. Black counter-sued, and included a libel suit in Canada. The libel settlement was by far the largest in Canadian history. The Hollinger group of companies was effectively dismantled as a result of the cascade of criminal and civil lawsuits that followed in relation to sales of papers and intellectual property to third parties, most alleging misrepresentation and some alleging false or deliberately misleading accounts having been presented. The costs incurred by Hollinger International through
9936-474: Was another refinancing, and in March 1998, O'Reilly bought the other shares of the company for £30 million, and assumed the company's debt. Brendan Hopkins headed Independent News, Andrew Marr was appointed editor of The Independent , and Rosie Boycott became editor of The Independent on Sunday . Marr introduced a dramatic if short-lived redesign which won critical favour but was a commercial failure, partly as
10044-399: Was appointed The Independent’s Editor-in-Chief in January 2023. He oversaw a period of editorial investment. Later in 2023, Chief Executive of IDNML Zach Leonard moved to the United States as Global COO and President (North AmericaUS), and former Editor Christian Broughton was appointed Chief Executive. In March 2024, Louise Thomas was appointed US Editor. In 2019, The Independent entered
10152-421: Was appointed as the editor. By this time, the circulation had fallen below 200,000. Independent News spent heavily to increase circulation, and the paper went through several redesigns. While circulation increased, it did not approach the level which had been achieved in 1989, or restore profitability. Job cuts and financial controls reduced the morale of journalists and the quality of the product. Ivan Fallon, on
10260-444: Was born into a very large family of athletic, handsome people. He wasn't particularly athletic or handsome like they were, so he developed a different skill — wordplay, which he practised a lot with his father." Black has written that his father was "cultured [and] humorous" and that his mother was a "natural, convivial, and altogether virtuous person". Of his older brother George Montegu Black III (Monte), Black has written that he
10368-606: Was charged by the SEC with filing misleading public statements. These charges were later withdrawn. In 1984, the Dominion Stores Board of which Montegu Black was the chairman, with the prior consent of the Ontario Pension Commission, withdrew over $ 56 million from the Dominion workers' pension plan surplus which the management had generated. The company said it considered the surplus the rightful property of
10476-473: Was designed by Carroll, Dempsey and Thirkell following a commission by Nicholas Garland who, along with Alexander Chancellor , was unhappy with designs produced by Raymond Hawkey and Michael McGuiness – on seeing the proposed designs, Chancellor had said "I thought we were joining a serious paper". The first edition was designed and implemented by Michael Crozier, who was Executive Editor, Design and Picture, from pre-launch in 1986 to 1994. From September 2003,
10584-414: Was in 1978 to Joanna Hishon of Montreal , who worked as a secretary in his and his brother Montegu's brokerage office. The couple had two sons and a daughter. They separated in 1991. Their divorce was finalized in 1992; that same year Black married British-born Jewish-Canadian journalist Barbara Amiel . Black described Amiel, in the first volume of his autobiography as "beautiful, brilliant, ideologically
10692-569: Was never a real 'capitalist' because he never created wealth, only dismantled wealth. His career has been largely about stripping corporations. Destroying them." Journalist and writer George Jonas , the former husband of Black's wife, Barbara Amiel, contended that Hollinger made its "investors ... billions [of dollars]". Black bought Quebec City's Le Soleil , Le Droit of Ottawa, and Le Quotidien of Chicoutimi from Jacques G. Francoeur. In 1986, Andrew Knight , then editor of The Economist , advised Black an investment could be made in
10800-555: Was one of Canada's most important conglomerates, though apart from Standard Broadcasting, it had less than 25% of the stock of the companies in which it was invested, and four-fifths of its own stock did not vote. Black had negotiated the acquisition of that stock from Power Corporation chairman Paul G. Desmarais in 1979 to become, as he put it, a 'real proprietor'. Black supervised the divesting of interests in manufacturing, retailing, broadcasting and ultimately oil, gas and mining. Canadian writer John Ralston Saul argued in 2008, "Lord Black
10908-602: Was possible to "overdo the formula" and that the style of the paper's front pages perhaps needed "reinvention". Under the subsequent editorship of Chris Blackhurst , the campaigning, poster-style front pages were scaled back in favour of more conventional news stories. The weekday, Saturday and Sunday editions of The Independent all included supplements and pull-out subsections: Daily (Monday to Friday) The Independent : Saturday's The Independent : The Independent on Sunday : On 23 January 2008, The Independent relaunched its online edition. The relaunched site introduced
11016-522: Was released pending retrial on a $ 2 million unsecured bond put up by conservative philanthropist Roger Hertog and ordered to remain on bail in the continental United States until at least 16 August, when his bail hearing was to resume, and the date by which Black and the prosecution were ordered by the Court of Appeals to submit written arguments for that court's review of his case. Black's bail, initially, pending trial, had been $ 38 million. Black
11124-453: Was sent by his father to a prestigious preparatory school, Upper Canada College (UCC), where he was first educated. The school catered to the offspring of the elite and influential. The institution adhered to the traditional practices of British public schools, which at the time included promoting corporal punishment and employing a faculty member who engaged in sadistic behaviour towards minors. Black, confided to his fellow student John Fraser,
11232-493: Was sold in March 2016, for a reported price of CA$ 16.5 million, but on a sale-lease-back of up to nine years, with an option to buy back, and the Blacks continue to live there. Black has disclosed his intention to remain and perhaps reacquire. He has returned to the UK part-time. According to biographer Tom Bower , "They flaunted their wealth." Black's critics suggested that it was Black's second wife, Amiel, who pushed him towards
11340-627: Was stripped of the Orwell Prize he had won in 2008 after claims, to which Hari later admitted, of plagiarism and inaccuracy. In January 2012, Chris Blackhurst , editor of The Independent , told the Leveson inquiry that the scandal had "severely damaged" the newspaper's reputation. He nevertheless told the inquiry that Hari would return as a columnist in "four to five weeks". Hari later announced that he would not return to The Independent . Jonathan Foreman contrasted The Independent ' s reaction to
11448-642: Was then turned into a holding company that initially focused on resource-based businesses. In 1981 Norcen Energy, one of his companies, acquired a minority position in Ohio-based Hanna Mining Co. In a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), a disclosure was made to the effect that Norcen took "an investment position" in Hanna. The filing did not include a disclosure that Norcen's board planned to seek majority control. Black subsequently
11556-400: Was to appear once again in a Chicago court on 16 August to provide full and detailed financial information to the judge, who would then consider his request to be allowed to return to Canada while on bail. Black's legal representatives, led by Miguel Estrada , advised the court they would not provide the requisite accounting and would thus not be interested in petitioning the court further on
11664-477: Was with the company. By the early 2000s, it was clear that Black had accurately anticipated the decline in profitability of print media assets and sought to divest those types of assets held by Hollinger before their value was irrevocably diminished. The criminal sanctions on Black not overturned were for removing 13 boxes of paper from his office a few days before he had to move offices under the gaze of security cameras he had installed, and for receiving US$ 285,000 as
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