The Globe and Mail, Toronto, was founded in 1936 when George McCullagh united 2 influential and historically important dailies, The Globe and The Mail and Empire. From the beginning, the new newspaper took on the character of the old Globe. George BROWN launched theGlobe in 1844 with the support of a group of Reform Liberals. Although at first a party journal, theGlobe quickly became required reading for the educated and business community in Toronto and the surrounding countryside through a shrewd mixture of news, features, forceful editorials and technological innovation.
By 1853 the 4-page paper had become a daily with a weekly edition for out-of-town subscribers; in 1876 Brown commissioned early morning trains to Hamilton and later London, and absorbed mailing costs for the daily Globe.
As new presses and cheap paper enabled the journal to expand in size, the first women's section was added in 1882 and, within a decade, drawings and photoengravings. By 1900 the Globe was established as a quality paper attractive to advertisers, and with a combined circulation for all editions of 69 545. Just after the turn of the century, it added the words "Canada's National Newspaper" to its masthead and began its pursuit of readers in all parts of the country. Meanwhile, The Mail had been established as a Conservative party organ in 1872 and, in 1895, absorbed another Tory paper, The Empire. In 1900 The Mail and Empire boasted a circulation of 61 720.
As an independent publication, The Globe and Mail became the flagship of FP Publications' chain of NEWSPAPERS in 1965 and, in 1980, was bought by the THOMSON GROUP. It has become a journal of record as well as of the business, political and cultural communities. As a "writer's newspaper," The Globe and Mail has given skilled journalists such as Jeffrey Simpson and Michael Valpy the opportunity to practise their craft.
In 1996, circulation stood at 315 000. The national edition, with Report on Business, is beamed by satellite six days a week to printing facilities across the country. The Globe publishes Report on Business magazine once a month, and Fashion and Design quarterly. Gusto is the paper's quarterly food magazine. Globe Information Services provides many financial database products on-line, in addition to the full database of Globe newspaper since 1977. Globe has also received a cable television licence (with corporate partners) for ROBtv, a 24-hour business news channel that is scheduled to go on air in 1998.
Staff reporters are based in 10 Canadian cities and foreign bureaus are now located in London, Brussels, Berlin, Moscow, Beijing, New Delhi, New York and Washington.
