Quebecor is starting off the new year right with its 24 Heures replacing Metro as the only free daily newspaper available in Montreal’s subway stations effective Jan. 3.
The Société de transport de Montréal confirmed Thursday that for the next five years, 24 Heures will be distributed exclusively in the metro system.
An STM spokesperson told the Montreal Gazette that Quebecor beat out Metro by offering better financial terms and a “more interesting” proposal to increase metro ridership including through Quebecor’s TV and internet properties.
“As a company firmly established in Montreal, Quebecor Media understands the necessity to help meet the city’s public transit challenges,” said Pierre Karl Péladeau, president and CEO of Quebecor Media, in a release. “That is why we are very happy to be joining forces with the STM and to leverage our media and technology networks to help create a mass movement towards public transportation.”
“Our new distribution partnership with the STM will allow us to reach all metro users, throughout the day,” added Christianne Benjamin, 24 Heures editor and 24 Heures-24 Hours vice-president at Sun Media Corporation. “This will undoubtedly contribute to accelerating the exceptional growth 24 Heures has experienced since being launched in 2001.”
According to the Gazette, STM received “$3.5 million in guaranteed revenue from Metro between 2003 and 2009.”
