The sale of the paper by Hollinger International must be approved by the Israeli regulatory agencies, and this is expected to occur in the coming weeks.
The Israeli company, Mirkaei Tikshoret, owned by Eli Azor, will add the Post and the Jerusalem Report to its media collection, currently including the Russian newspaper Novosti, two radio stations (Radio North and Radio Without a Break), and more.
CanWest, owned by the Asper family, is one of the largest media companies in Canada, with newspapers, television stations and channels, publishing houses, and radio stations in Canada, Britain, Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand. CanWest president and CEO Leonard Asper said, "We are delighted with this opportunity to work with [Mirkaei Tikshoret] unleash the considerable untapped potential of the Jerusalem Post group and to extend the reach and influence of the group's flagship newspaper and other media properties around the world, but particularly in North America where CanWest's strong printing, sales and marketing expertise can be utilized."
The purchase price of $13.2 million also includes the Jerusalem Post building in the Romema neighborhood of Jerusalem and the paper's printing press. Hollinger paid $21.5 million when it purchased the paper 15 years ago.
What is likely to interest most readers is whether the paper's editorial line will be affected. Just a month ago, the paper informed the media watchdog organization "Israel Media Watch" (IMW) that the organization's regular column, entitled Watching the Israeli Media, was being discontinued. One of the reasons for the Post's decision, editorial page editor Saul Singer explained in a phone call to IMW, was that the paper intends to adopt a centrist political line.
The Israeli company, Mirkaei Tikshoret, owned by Eli Azor, will add the Post and the Jerusalem Report to its media collection, currently including the Russian newspaper Novosti, two radio stations (Radio North and Radio Without a Break), and more.
CanWest, owned by the Asper family, is one of the largest media companies in Canada, with newspapers, television stations and channels, publishing houses, and radio stations in Canada, Britain, Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand. CanWest president and CEO Leonard Asper said, "We are delighted with this opportunity to work with [Mirkaei Tikshoret] unleash the considerable untapped potential of the Jerusalem Post group and to extend the reach and influence of the group's flagship newspaper and other media properties around the world, but particularly in North America where CanWest's strong printing, sales and marketing expertise can be utilized."
The purchase price of $13.2 million also includes the Jerusalem Post building in the Romema neighborhood of Jerusalem and the paper's printing press. Hollinger paid $21.5 million when it purchased the paper 15 years ago.
What is likely to interest most readers is whether the paper's editorial line will be affected. Just a month ago, the paper informed the media watchdog organization "Israel Media Watch" (IMW) that the organization's regular column, entitled Watching the Israeli Media, was being discontinued. One of the reasons for the Post's decision, editorial page editor Saul Singer explained in a phone call to IMW, was that the paper intends to adopt a centrist political line.